The Association for the Support of Immigrant Workers (ASTI) has responded to the ongoing illegal immigration scandal involving the General Department of Immigration and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
ASTI has welcomed the Ministry’s decision to initiate an audit and to convene a home affairs committee. According to Sérgio Ferreira, the association’s political director and spokesperson, all aspects of the case must be examined, and the audit’s findings should be made fully available to the public.
Ferreira stressed that transparency is essential – not only to clarify the details of the affair but also to prevent undue suspicion from falling on the General Directorate of Immigration as a whole. He noted that the directorate processes thousands of cases each year, whereas the current scandal involves a few hundred. In his view, this does not warrant a wholesale questioning of the administration. Rather, the audit offers an opportunity to identify and correct specific shortcomings.
ASTI also cautioned against generalisations that could stigmatise immigrants, pointing in particular to far-right parties in Europe that might seek to exploit the situation. The association emphasised that immigrants are not automatically complicit in fraudulent activities and may themselves be victims. It therefore urged caution until all the facts are known.
According to ASTI, the administrative procedures for economic immigration are complex, and the various services responsible for immigration should be strengthened. Ferreira argued that this would benefit both the individuals concerned and the state. If prospective immigrants are properly informed about legitimate associations and support structures, rather than being exploited by bad actors, the administration would receive more accurate and complete applications, thereby reducing the risk of fraud and profiteering.
ASTI also suggested that Luxembourg may need to reflect on how its immigration laws are applied. Ferreira warned that while it may be tempting to call for stricter enforcement in the current climate, experience in other policy areas shows that overly rigid rules can sometimes attract more profiteers.
On the issue of data protection, ASTI said it does not immediately see direct problems in its daily operations. However, Ferreira acknowledged that if shortcomings exist, they must be addressed – though not in a way that undermines the fundamental purpose of protecting individuals. "Data protection is there because there have been many abuses in that area", he noted. While ASTI supports changes if relevant actors deem them necessary, the association also stresses that data protection rules have been developed over time for good reason and should not be altered hastily. Any reform would require careful consideration, according to Ferreira.
