Stricter border control triples foreigners' refusal to enter Portugal

In recent months, Timóteo Macedo, leader of the Immigrant Solidarity association (Solim), has been receiving increasing reports about the difficulties faced by foreign citizens when trying to enter Portugal. According to the newcomers, controls at airports and borders have become more intense and detailed. "It has gotten much worse, it has become almost like the secret police. Many have been barred, mainly Brazilians, when there is doubt about whether they are really coming for tourism or to work," said Macedo.

According to the latest police data, released by Expresso, between January and June of this year, entry was refused to 902 foreigners, almost triple the 373 refused during the whole year of 2023. "The instructions given to airports are very clear. All situations provided for by law that determine removal must be complied with," a police source told Expresso.

Since the dissolution of SEF eight months ago, control of air borders has been in the hands of PSP and the Judicial Police. In the first half of 2024, these forces detained 133 people and detected 449 document frauds.

Impact of SEF's Dissolution Last year, marked by the transition of SEF's responsibilities to the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), recorded unusually low operational values. Notifications to leave the national territory decreased by 40%, entry refusals by 79%, and infractions by 75% compared to 2022.

Stricter police action is in line with the Government's stance, which advocates for "regulated and supervised immigration." However, the lack of vacancies in Temporary Installation Centers or Equivalent Spaces at airports has been a significant obstacle, with an occupancy rate of 99%, according to the same police source.

Inspections and Administrative Processes In addition to entry control, inspections of foreigners in the national territory have resumed, representing one of the lowest indicators in the European Union. According to an official assessment accessed by Expresso, the rate of enforced removals of immigrants decreased by 78% between 2017 and 2023, and voluntary departure dropped by 86%. Infraction processes fell drastically from 40,219 to 1,350 between 2020 and 2023, many of which expired due to the accumulation of processes at AIMA.

New Government Measures Among the 41 measures of the Action Plan for Migration, the creation of the Foreigners and Borders Unit (UEF) within PSP is planned, which will concentrate border control, return, and inspection competencies within the national territory. Although it is not yet formally operational, PSP has already presented a strategy to the Government that is being implemented.

The return and enforced removal of immigrants to their countries of origin, due to illegal stay, also face delays due to the lack of legal support for the recent transfer of responsibilities. There are 3,000 pending processes from SEF, now under the responsibility of PSP.

The Government intends to prioritize the voluntary return of immigrants, considered more favorable both from a human dignity perspective and in terms of operational costs. A protocol between the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and AIMA is in the final stages of completion, revealed Vasco Malta, IOM's head of mission in Portugal.

Press Magazine