Supreme Court receives request to close border with Venezuela

Conectas condemns the case filed by the Roraima state government that violates the rights of immigrants and refugees guaranteed by the New Immigration Law

Migrantes venezuelanos aguardam na fronteira, em Pacaraima (RR). (Foto: Leonardo Medeiros)

The Roraima state government today, April 13, filed a case in the Supreme Court calling on the federal government to temporarily close the Brazil-Venezuela border to stop the inflow of Venezuelan refugees.

The motives alleged in the case do not justify such a drastic and inhumane measure, which would violate the principles and rights guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, international treaties signed by Brazil and also the country’s new Immigration Law (Law 13,445/2017), such as humanitarian asylum.

Provisional executive orders published recently by the federal government have established emergency measures to assist in the provision of humanitarian asylum for Venezuelan refugees. Over the past few weeks, public services to accommodate the immigrants have been improved and operational teams working on the border have been reinforced.
Another measure, based on recommendations made by the National Human Rights Council, has been the relocation of immigrants from Roraima to other states. This has the effect of relieving the burden on local public services and providing more opportunities for integration into Brazilian society.

Humanitarian asylum consists of guaranteeing rights, not taking them away. The experience from countries that have closed their borders and cracked down on immigration shows that these measures are not the solution. Immigrants and refugees will continue to seek asylum in countries like Brazil. Harsher policies do not halt immigration, but instead increase the suffering imposed on families that are already fleeing a humanitarian crisis.