REGULARIZATION NOW
Rede Sem Fronteiras officially joins the "Regularization Now" Campaign, joining forces and strengthening the mobilizations that have been gaining voice in several countries around the world. The decision comes after a general meeting on June 4, attended by RSF members and partners. The campaign arises from the concern with migrant and refugee populations in the face of the Coronavirus crisis, which has revealed itself in the social and health collapse directly affecting these people who are in irregular administrative situations in the countries where they reside. These are the people who suffer most from the terrible effects of the government's adjustment policies and cuts in the health, social, labour and economic fields, generating a worsening of living conditions.
The demand, leveraged by Spain, came from an action articulated in a state network of anti-racist collectives and self-organised migrants, demanding the government to regularise in an extraordinary and unconditional way as a measure to combat the spread of COVID-19. The claim is that the regular status of migrants would facilitate access to primary services such as health and housing, which would allow them to have support and assistance to prevent the virus.
The movement is starting to work on a bill to change the regulations for foreigners in Spain, such as: the demand that undocumented people be regularised in an unrestricted manner, without criteria and with a work permit; that those who need international protection be given the right to request it; that the reception of foreigners be integral, with housing and social aid; that the existing education be fulfilled and that young people between the ages of 16 and 18 be given a work permit; the definitive closure of detention centres for foreigners, among others. Thus supporting the promotion of new policies under the paradigm of human rights, social justice and dignity in an integral and inclusive manner.
This mobilisation, which began in Spain, has expanded internationally, stimulating debate on an issue that is already emerging: the importance of regularising refugee migrants, precarious survivors who cannot access work because they have no documents, and those who work without having their labour rights respected around the world. At the delicate moment of the pandemic, some countries became aware of the importance of joining and proposing actions to speed up and deburocratise the regularisation of migrants.
By joining together with the groups who are fighting for the immediate, unrestricted and unconditional regularisation of all migrants, RSF calls for international solidarity, for the free movement of people, for the human right to migrate and return, and always to migrate with rights. It is necessary to understand that regularisation is not only a solidarity issue, it is also a social justice issue.
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