Integration of immigrants and refugees in Portugal faces ‘sea of bureaucracy’, says Jesuit Refugee Service
On 3 December, the Observador newspaper highlighted criticism by the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) of the complex bureaucracy faced by immigrants and refugees in Portugal. The JRS questions the capacity of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) to deal with the processes inherited from the Aliens and Borders Service (SEF).
On the occasion of the International Day of Migrants on 18 December, the JRS will present the White Paper on the Rights of Immigrants and Refugees in Portugal – 2023, which documents the obstacles to reception and integration. Speaking to the Lusa news agency, the coordinator of the JRS Legal Office highlighted the experience of the support teams on the ground, who help to overcome bureaucratic obstacles in the integration process.