Argentine authorities have begun legalizing migrants
The Argentine authorities have launched a campaign to legalize migrants from South American countries. At the beginning of last week, tens of thousands of people lined up in multi-kilometer queues at document issuance points. In Buenos Aires and its suburbs, an additional 45 offices have been opened where they can apply for a residence permit.
The campaign is being carried out within the framework of the adopted National Program for the Legalization of Foreigners' Stay in Argentina. According to Argentina's migration service, between 750,000 and 1 million people from Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru are illegally residing in this South American country. They all entered Argentina on tourist visas and then stayed in the country illegally. Most of them are forced to work "under the table" for 12-16 hours a day as construction workers, domestic workers, and also at underground "workshop owners", receiving a paltry salary for this.
The decision to legalize migrants from South American countries was made a few days after a terrible tragedy that shook Argentina, when six Bolivian citizens, including four children, died in a fire at one of the "underground factories". At that time, Bolivians, driven to despair by semi-slave labor, took to the streets of the Argentine capital and demanded that the authorities take urgent measures for their legalization.
The National Program covers all citizens of the countries of the South American Common Market (MERCOSUR), which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela, and Uruguay. Bolivia, Chile, and Peru are associate members. Legalization is carried out free of charge upon presentation of a written application.
In Belgium, refugees demand simpler legalization
In Belgium, refugees staged a protest action, demanding that the authorities speed up the procedure for considering their applications for legalization in this European country. According to local media, about 500 people from third countries, trying to draw public attention to their problems, turned the Church of St. Anthony in Ghent into a temporary refuge. More than 150 refugees "occupied" a church in the city of Verviers.
Similar self-seizures of church premises have also been recorded in Brussels, Namur, Mons, and the Belgian province of Luxembourg. In this, the "paperless", as refugees are called here, are supported by the church rectors themselves, who declare that the church cannot turn away from the problems of people from third countries awaiting legalization in Belgium. They, for their part, demand that the federal authorities of Belgium create a permanent commission that will centrally deal with legalization issues.
In Belgium, there have been cases where this process lasted five and even eight years, after which a decision was made to refuse asylum to the applicants. For the period of consideration of applications, refugees and their family members are provided with temporary housing, social and medical services, as well as permission for temporary work at the expense of the state.
It is expected that the Belgian government will consider a draft document designed to make the legalization procedure more effective. However, refugee representatives claim that if the document is approved, only future asylum seekers will fall under its provisions.