New Immigration Department director
Civil society organizations call for position to be held by someone with a background in defense of immigrant rights
Following the removal from office of João Guilherme Granja, published in the Federal Gazette this Thursday, September 15, twenty civil society organizations – among them Conectas – filed an official petition with the Ministry of Justice calling for the next director of Demig (Immigration Department) to be someone with a recognized track record in defending the rights of immigrants. In the document, the organizations explain that “the occupant of the position should not have a background and career in the field of security, since immigration should be addressed from a rights perspective, and no longer from a national security perspective”.
The petition also draws attention to the need for immigration control to be handled by civil employees who are “qualified to treat immigrants in a non-discriminatory manner and who are aware of the specifics of each situation and the social and economic vulnerability of immigrants, from an inclusive perspective and with the goal of integrating these people into society and guaranteeing their access to rights”.
This pressure by civil society organizations coincides with the debate in Congress on a new immigration law to replace the Foreigner Act that was enacted during the military dictatorship. The new law proposes to abandon the idea that immigration is a matter of national security and treat it as a right, in keeping with international trends.
- Click here to read the petition in full.
