The PSP’s National Unit for Foreigners and Borders (UNEF), known as ‘mini SEF’, wants the largest number of illegal immigrants to leave Portugal through the ‘voluntary return’ mechanism as it is “a more humanistic approach” and have financial support.
In an interview with the Lusa agency, the deputy national director of the Public Security Police and responsible for UNEF said that since the PSP has responsibility for the area of returning irregular immigrants, it has “invested heavily” in ‘voluntary return’.
“In practical terms, [o retorno voluntário] It is a process in which people are approached about being able to voluntarily return to their country. The European Union supports with 2,650 euros and we handle, through Frontex, the passage and return of these people to their respective countries”, highlighted João Ribeiro.
With the extinction of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) almost two years ago, some powers of this security service, namely control of air borders, passed to the sphere of the PSP, which since August 21st has expanded its powers with the creation of UNEF.
PSP rejects persecution of illegal immigrants
The PSP admitted an increase in inspection operations, but denied that the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders was created to persecute illegal immigrants, highlighting the humanist aspect of its operations.
“I don’t have that vision [UNEF criada para ‘caça ao imigrante ilegal’]. I was sad, so to speak, to see some Brazilian press characterize the creation of the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders in the PSP, making comparisons to ICE in the United States [serviço norte-americano de imigração e alfândegas]said the deputy national director of the PSP.
ANDRÉ KOSTERS
João Ribeiro maintained that the PSP’s approach “is not that”: “We are in a State of Law, We have a matrix in the training of all our police officers that is respect and primacy of human rights and that’s the approach we have.”
The official also stressed that immigrants do not need to be afraid of the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders, as Portugal wants “regulated migration, but at the same time humanistic”.
However, he stated that there may be some tension when a foreigner tries to enter Portugal and is stopped at the airport because he does not meet the conditions to enter the country.
Rejecting the idea of “hunting illegal immigrants”, João Ribeiro said that the PSP’s approach is based on “risk factors”.
“We know where the risk factors arewe can identify where people are. Here it ends up being a systemic vision. I can’t now go and look for a thousand people who are in an irregular situation if I don’t have emergency accommodation capacity for these people. What we do is an approach in accordance with the risk matrices that we have and that we follow”, he highlighted.
The deputy national director of the PSP insisted that “it is not a factor of being afraid”, but noted: “Of course, if I am in an irregular situation and I entered national territory irregularly and eventually I am carrying out acts that constitute crimes, yes, that person has to be afraid”.
The head of UNEF also acknowledged that the PSP increased inspection operations in certain areas frequented by immigrants, namely in Lisbon.
The “big objective” is to make Portugal a safe country and recognized as a destination of opportunity for immigrants, but at the same time it is necessary to “combat effectively and efficiently everything that represents high-risk situations”.
João Ribeiro considered that “it is not acceptable for there to be migratory routes exploring Portugal as a place where people in an irregular situation can enter”.
Networks detected at airports
The head of the PSP’s National Foreigners and Borders Unit estimated that “large tens of thousands” of immigrants live in the country in an irregular situation and expressed concern about the recent networks detected at airports, especially involving Portuguese-speaking citizens.
ANDRÉ KOSTERS
“Since the expressions of interest ended, [esse tipo de redes] it is seen as a simpler way” of trying to enter the country, said the official, arguing that it is necessary to “look more closely at this approach”.
The PSP has detected many false contracts at airports, with companies that do not exist, by “citizens from different CPLP countries [Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa] who want to come to Portugal to work”, he said.
More cases of human trafficking flagged
João Ribeiro said that more cases of human trafficking are being reported in Portugal for labor and sexual exploitation and ‘importation’ of children for adoption.
“Unfortunately, we have seen signs that Portugal is also destination of human trafficking for labor exploitation or sexual exploitationor also, unfortunately, some cases in which they are processes for import purposes, and I apologize for the expression being very strong, importing children for adoption”, explained the deputy national director of the PSP and responsible for UNEF.
The official stated that the PSP has currently flagged more cases of human trafficking than in the past.
“The investigative competence is not ours, it belongs to the Judiciary Police, but, in fact, the numbers we are signaling are significant, it does not mean that, in terms of investigation, all these situations constitute the legal type of crime that represents trafficking in human beings”, he stated.