“Government wants more effective control of immigrants” – tabloid
Today’s Council of Ministers is tipped to approve the formation of a new PSP unit to man the country’s borders, and control immigration.
UNEF (the national unit for foreigners and borders) will essentially pick up where SEF border guards left off (after SEF’s recent disbandment).
The new force is unlikely to start work before the start of 2025, but its purpose will be to tighten current controls on illegal immigration.
Tabloid Correio da Manhã ‘breaks this story’ today, ahead of any announcement following the Council of Ministers, suggesting it comes at an extremely opportune moment: right-wing party CHEGA has been ‘zig-zagging’ (CM’s words) over whether or not it will vote in favour of the State Budget, and – not that long ago – CHEGA leader André Ventura hinted at this being more likely if the government approved a referendum on immigration.
The timing therefore of today’s (likely) announcement is “anything but innocent”, suggests CM’s editorial director general Carlos Rodrigues – but it may well serve to ‘mollify’ CHEGA enough to receive its approval over the State Budget (something that the country has now been informed has to pass, or Portugal will once again face the prospect of legislative elections…)
UNEF meantime will be approved under the government’s recently announced ‘Action Plan for Migrations’. It will be under the command of a chief superintendent (still to be nominated), with various ‘subunits’ throughout the country.
“As well as border control powers, to be implemented jointly with the Internal Security System’s Border and Foreigner Coordination Unit, it will inherit the powers to return (ie expel illegals), currently held by AIMA, the agency for integration, migration and asylum”, says CM.
“But (UNEF’s) main activity will be to check for illegal immigrants in the PSP’s area of action, which has been training officers in this regard for some time.
“The government’s bill, which will be approved by the Council of Ministers today, also includes the creation of a new external border control system. This includes the installation at airports and ports, which is already underway, of electronic equipment that will control all passengers travelling outside the Schengen area”.
Of 345 expulsion orders served, only 15 have been executed
CM’s exclusive refers to the government’s intention to ‘replace the operational capacities that have been compromised by the extinction of SEF’ (which took place under PS Socialists). To give an idea of how many issues have fallen through the cracks, of 346 expulsion orders issued in the first quarter of this year, only 15 have been executed, says the paper.
Source: Correio da Manhã
