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Imagine that you are a lawyer and your desperate foreign client tells you that he wants to visit his dying mother but he does not know if he can go because his lawyer qualification has expired and he cannot make an appointment for renewal at the Agency for Integration, Immigration and Asylum (AIMA).
This question should have a simple answer, but it has become a painful dilemma and a reality faced by many immigrants in Portugal.
The immigration situation in Portugal is on the brink of chaos as AIMA is caught up in delays and an impending strike, leaving lawyers to resort to the judicial system as a last resort.
Meanwhile, the Chega Party is proposing a referendum that promises to redefine immigration policy, but it also raises questions about the future of immigrant rights in our country.
Criticism of the judicial system as a “business”
AIMA has been criticized for overcrowding its services, leading many to turn to the judicial system as the only viable solution.
A newspaper article raised the question of whether obtaining AIMA assistance through legal action has become a “business” for lawyers. However, it is important to understand that lawyers did not create this situation, they simply found solutions to meet the urgent needs of their clients.
As the AIMA system is overloaded, the judicial route becomes the only option to ensure that the rights of migrants are respected. This approach is far from being a profitable scheme and reflects the failure of the system to provide adequate and timely solutions for migrants.
In short, lawyers defend their clients’ rights by resorting to legal action in a system that has failed and is unable to provide adequate solutions.
The urgency of reform and an immediate response to the migration crisis
The current situation calls for urgent reform. AIMA needs to become more efficient and develop emergency response measures to handle the high volume of pending requests. Immigration regulations must be adapted to Portugal’s real needs to ensure a fast, fair and convenient process.
Without these changes, access to the justice system will continue to be seen as a necessity rather than a choice.
Impact of the immigration referendum
The Chega party has proposed a referendum on immigration issues, including limiting immigration numbers, setting stricter visa issuance criteria and reviewing integration policies.
Chega’s specific proposals include annual limits on immigration, annual reviews of those quotas and defining quotas by professional field and economic need.
Arguments in favour of the referendum include the need for a national debate on immigration and the opportunity for the Portuguese to express their opinions on an issue of vital importance to Portugal’s future.
Chega believes that immigration must be controlled to avoid overloading national resources, and that referendums are a way to listen to the people’s opinions. Critics, on the other hand, believe that referendums may exacerbate social divisions and tensions and are a simplistic way to solve complex problems.
EU and international law impose certain limits on how countries can manage migration, and any major changes could have legal and diplomatic implications.
Chega’s referendum proposal raises fundamental questions about the future of immigration in Portugal. If on the one hand it provides a platform for public debate and democratic expression, on the other hand it risks simplifying a complex topic and causing social division.
Portugal must carefully consider the implications of such a referendum, ensuring that any decision respects international commitments and the values of inclusion and diversity that characterize Portuguese society.
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