During Portugal Day celebrations in Newark, Marques Mendes asserted that he did not encounter strong concern within the community regarding mass deportations of illegal immigrants, as promised by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“I admit there is some concern, but it is limited because no one spoke to me about this topic,” Mendes stated, discussing President Trump and his policies. “I suppose there may be an occasional case, but it is not a dominant concern here among the Portuguese community.”
Mendes noted, “I found a very well-integrated Portuguese community, closely connected to Portugal. It is a model community that appreciates both the United States and Portugal, exemplifying successful integration.”
He was invited by the organizing committee of Portugal Day celebrations in Newark and expressed his appreciation for the invitation.
Newark, located in New Jersey, hosts the traditional Portugal Day parade today along Ferry Street, known as the heart of ‘Little Portugal’ because of its significant Portuguese community.
Traditionally, crowds of people, mainly Portuguese dressed in national colors, line the streets of Newark to witness the Portugal Day parade.
In January, following Donald Trump’s inauguration, a Portuguese-owned company in Newark was targeted by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation that detained three employees without a warrant.
Since then, numerous undocumented Portuguese immigrants in the U.S. have expressed feeling “100% scared,” according to reports.
Up until last month, approximately two dozen Portuguese families had returned to the Azores independently to avoid forced deportation by the U.S. government, as reported by the president of the New Bedford Center for Immigrant Assistance.
When questioned about his approach to Donald Trump if elected as President of Portugal, Mendes refrained from a direct response, instead advocating for a “position of prudence” with “openness on one side and firmness on the other.”
“Foreign policy is conducted by the government but coordinated with the President of the Republic. I believe there are two or three important points to consider, which are cumulative, not alternative. Firstly, Portugal and the United States share a long-standing friendship…. We should do everything possible to maintain this relationship,” Mendes asserted.
Additionally, he noted that Donald Trump “will not be President forever” and emphasized that relations between Portugal and the U.S. should be viewed as “State-to-State.”
“Regardless of who is President…, relationships experience highs and lows, but while individuals may come and go, the relations between countries persist,” he emphasized.
Lastly, he highlighted Portugal’s membership in the European Union and the necessity for the bloc to exercise prudence and firmness.
“Prudence is needed to prevent further deterioration of existing tensions in transatlantic relations,” he remarked, while advocating for a “spirit of openness to negotiate,” maintaining that if negotiation yields no results, “then retaliation is necessary,” particularly concerning tariffs.
“This is the position of prudence, openness on one side and firmness on the other, which I believe the European Union should adopt and which Portugal should uphold within the EU,” Mendes concluded.
