Lisbon, June 24, 2025 (Lusa) - In her first speech since taking office, Portugal’s minister for internal affairs defended on Tuesday the creation of a national unit for foreigners and borders within the PSP (Public Security Police), saying that “effective border control produces security”.
In a speech given at the seminar “Migration and Return: New Directions for Europe”, held by the PSP at the Higher School of Media Studies in Lisbon, Maria Lúcia Amaral spoke about the proposal that the cabinet approved on Monday and will now take to parliament: the creation of a foreigners and borders unit within the PSP.
‘This is a political demonstration that the State will not abdicate its essential duty to protect and respect all those who are on our territory,’ said Maria Lúcia Amaral, adding that ‘freedom exists only when security ensures it, and security depends on border control’.
In this context, she explained that it was urgent to create a fast and effective system for removing illegal foreign nationals to “combat illegal immigration and human trafficking and to prevent and protect victims”.
During her opening speech, Maria Lúcia Amaral also argued that Portugal should remain a welcoming country, prepared to receive anyone who wants to come to Portuguese territory, acknowledging that new challenges in the field of migration are currently on the table.
‘In recent years, as is well known, Portugal has experienced one of the greatest demographic shocks ever, with a foreign population that has quadrupled since 2017,’ she said, adding that ‘the phenomenon is undeniable and presents several challenges, particularly in terms of internal security’.
At the same seminar, the national director of the PSP, Luís Carrilho, also spoke, adding that last year alone, the police checked more than 24 million passengers, “carrying out surveillance, arrests, refusals of entry and escorts, within a framework of legality and respect for fundamental rights”.
Last year, parliament discussed the creation of a National Foreigners and Borders Unit within the PSP after the government presented a bill, as it is doing now.
The ministry sent the document to the first committee in October last year, and the members of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees opted not to approve the proposal to change the return regime.
The PSD supported the creation of this new unit within the PSP, which, according to the government, would be responsible for air border control, inspection and surveillance of immigrants in Portugal, decision-making and enforcement of return actions, management of temporary accommodation facilities and similar facilities, and airport and border security, with the Liberal Initiative abstaining and the other parties rejecting it.
The MPs ultimately drafted a new text, and parliament approved it in December, thereby continuing the process without the creation of the unit, which had come to be nicknamed the “mini-SEF”.
RCV/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
