Portuguese police official rejects claims of immigrant hunt

João Ribeiro, the head of the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders (UNEF) of the Public Security Police (PSP), has rejected allegations that the unit is conducting a “hunt” for illegal immigrants. Responding to criticisms from immigrant associations that accused the unit of targeting migrants in a manner similar to practices in the United States, Ribeiro described the unit’s strategy as an “intelligent approach.”

Ribeiro stated that the PSP focuses on specific risk factors, noting that metropolitan areas present a higher risk of encountering citizens in an irregular situation. He emphasized that the primary goal is to ensure that foreign citizens without legal status undergo the necessary departure processes, as they are not permitted to remain in the country under current law.

Regarding the scale of the issue, Ribeiro noted that the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has issued more than 80,000 notifications for voluntary departure to individuals who do not meet the requirements for residency authorization.