The Minister of Internal Administration, in her first speech since taking office, advocated today for the establishment of a national unit for foreigners and borders within the PSP, asserting that “there is no security without border control.”
In a speech during the seminar ‘Migration and Return: New Directions for Europe’, organized by the PSP at the School of Social Communication in Lisbon, Maria Lúcia Amaral discussed the proposal approved this Monday by the Council of Ministers, which will now be taken to parliament: the creation of a foreigners and borders unit within the PSP.
“This is a political demonstration that the State does not forgo its essential duty to protect and respect all those who are in our territory,” said Maria Lúcia Amaral, adding that “there is no possible freedom without the security that guarantees it, and there is no security without border control.”
In this context, the Minister of Internal Administration explained the urgency of creating a rapid and effective regime for the removal of foreign citizens in an illegal situation, in order to “combat illegal immigration, human trafficking, and prevent and protect victims.”
During her initial remarks, Maria Lúcia Amaral advocated that Portugal should remain a welcoming country, prepared to receive those who wish to come to Portuguese territory, acknowledging that new challenges in the realm of migration are currently on the table.
“In recent years, as is well known, Portugal has undergone one of the largest demographic shocks ever, with a foreign population that has quadrupled since 2017,” the Internal Administration head further stated, adding that “the phenomenon is undeniable, raising and posing several challenges, particularly in the field of internal security.”
At the same seminar, the national director of the PSP, Luís Carrilho, also spoke, revealing that just last year, this police force monitored over 24 million passengers, “ensuring operations of inspection, detention, refusal of entry, and escort, within a framework of legality and respect for fundamental rights.”
