Stop opposing the “open door” immigration policy. Other parties criticize xenophobia

The leader of Chegi said this Thursday that Portugal has an “open door” migration policy, a position that has been criticized by all parties, accusing him of demagoguery, inciting hatred and xenophobia.

Speaking at the plenary session of the Assembly of the Republic, André Ventura praised the French legislation restricting the access of the second generation of immigrants, approved this Thursday, and criticized the policy of “doors open to all”, with the “Service “Foreigners and Borders” (SEF) dismantled” and then , which he called “an absolutely stunning policy of insecurity that is felt by the entire Portuguese people.”

These statements were sharply criticized by members of the remaining benches, as well as by Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ana Catarina Mendes, who accused Chegu of using the debate he requested as an “act of political propaganda.”

During the debate, heated discussion and insults led to several interruptions: the President of the Assembly several times called the deputies to order.

According to André Ventura in Portugal, “a third of these immigrants are at the level of poverty that the PS government has voted for in the country.”

The leader of Chegi tried to link the treatment of two Portuguese-Brazilian twins with the debate that “there are children of influential people who are being treated in Portugal.”

“There are men and women of means who come to Portugal for cancer and HIV treatment, although they had the means to receive treatment in their countries of origin,” he said, adding that “those who have contributed to the National Health Service should have priority.” “available.

In response, Minister Ana Catarina Mendes accused Chega MPs of fueling “hate speech from us and others” and warned that “it is hatred that corrodes democracy and discredits institutions”, taking “great pride” in industrial policies.

In the first quarter of 2024, “an operation will be launched to respond to the outstanding issues of the former SEF to provide people with their documentation, since full integration depends on this” and “a new Portuguese language program will be launched in February next year.” year,” the governor said.

Ana Catarina Mendes said that “the policy of reception and integration is carried out with strict respect for human rights,” and added that the “consolidation of democracy” depends on “a good policy of integration that takes into account differences.”

Social Democratic MP Andrea Neto considered “a balance of managed immigration urgent” and criticized “the clumsy policies of the Minister of the Interior, who proposed to liquidate the SEF, and which created enormous insecurity among professionals and the Portuguese.”

However, “what the SDP does not do and will never do is cross the line of decency and the line of opportunism” by “confusing people with populist and demagogic speeches that even incite hatred,” he said, referring to Chega.

For her part, Ines Souza Real (PAN) expressed regret that Chega used what “could be a useful debate” to “cause hatred and discrimination.”

Criticizing the migration pact approved by the European Union on Wednesday, Ines Souza Real called on other parties not to transpose this agreement into national legislation.

Socialist MP Susana Amador warned: “Don’t count on the PS to scapegoat immigrants for all the world’s ills,” fueling “hatred that fosters fear, uncertainty and intolerance,” in a division between “good Portuguese and evil Portuguese.”

According to the Socialist MP, this “urgent debate is flawed from the very beginning and aims to infect Portuguese society with immigrants”, instead of recognizing the “positive impact of immigration”, as some studies show.

Pedro Filipe Soares from Great Britain decided to thank immigrants for their contribution to social welfare and population renewal and accused Chegu of wanting to impose further restrictions on the regular entry of immigrants in order to then stimulate the growth of illegal human trafficking and thus have reasons to use this topic as an election argument.

João Dias (PCP) criticized “irrational anti-immigrant rhetoric” and criticized delays in processing pending regularization requests at the new Integration, Migration and Asylum Agency (AIMA).

MP Bernardo Branco (Illinois) said Portugal needs immigrants and that his party “does not accept the country with closed doors, as Chega wants.”

But we also “do not accept an uncontrolled entry country,” he said, criticizing the “catastrophic manner” of dismantling the SEF and the current “chaos in immigrant regularization.”

Livre MP Rui Tavares used the immigration debate to recall the end of democracy in the 1920s and 1930s and the rise of fascism.

“We are going to celebrate the end of the first republic in 2026,” and today “there is a risk,” the historian on the Chegi bench noted, adding that “those who love the country and love democracy will not collude with those who are in a hurry.” . everything is over “.