Only those who had already made contributions to Social Security for twelve months when the legislation was modified on June 3rd can have access to legalization.
On Friday (25/10), at 3 pm, on the other side of the street, in front of the Assembly of the Republic, there was a demonstration with 150 to 200 immigrants, many of them holding signs, fighting for the return of the Expression of Interest. They were pushing for the return of the possibility of legalizing their status after having entered the country and having contributed to Social Security — all they had to do was send a document to the immigration authorities expressing their interest in obtaining a residence permit.
The skin tones and clothing were mixed, with people from Africa, South Asia, Brazil and other backgrounds. Every few minutes the megaphone changed hands. Slogans were shouted in various accents, calling on the protesters: “We are all immigrants”; “Equal rights”; Documents for all; “No more waiting.” While the traffic was blocked by the police, some of the cars that passed by honked their horns and drivers made signs of support.
At first, there were about 100 people, which doubled over the course of more than an hour. Many of them carried signs in their hands. The texts mentioned the contributions made by immigrants to Social Security, the wait they face to be seen and the undignified treatment they have received.
The banners on the railings that protected the steps to the Parliament indicated the immigrant associations that were present: Immigrant Solidarity, Casa do Brasil, Olho Vivo, Frente Anti-racist, Reviver a Mouraria, Associação do Bangladesh, Associação Islâmica. The representative of Tapada das Mercês did not bring the banner. "It was because of the train strike. Otherwise I would have brought the banner and many other things," he said.
Timóteo Macedo, from Solidariedade Imigrante, criticized the government's decision, taken on June 3, which abolished Expressions of Interest. "This government cannot give in to far-right policies. The country needs migrants like bread for its mouth. Many employers say they need immigrants. Without them, agriculture will not produce, restaurants will not have anyone to serve. Expressions of interest have been abolished and 80,000 immigrants have not been able to obtain their documents. These workers are in limbo," he says.
According to Macedo, the end of the possibility of legalization took everyone by surprise, including President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, with whom he met. "He thought it would only be a temporary interruption, and not permanent," he reveals. Regarding the backlog of over 400,000 cases left by the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), he attributes it to an intentional action. "When it was announced that the SEF was going to be closed, there was a blackmail strategy that paralyzed its operations. It paralyzed scheduling, family reunification, and service," he accuses.
Present at the demonstration, Ana Paula Costa, vice-president of Casa do Brasil in Lisbon — the oldest immigrant association in Portugal — also criticized the way in which the decision to end the Expression of Interest was made. "It created a situation of instability and insecurity among immigrants. Within three hours they were unable to make the Expression of Interest," she said. She does not believe that the proposal announced by the government to open up the possibility for citizens of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) to apply for residency in Portugal — and Brazilians do not even need a visa, and can enter as tourists — will divide immigrants. "It has already happened before that the Portuguese government created a mechanism for the legalization of Brazilians. This paved the way for the possibility for all immigrants to legalize themselves," she adds.