Leaders from Central America and the Dominican Republic have denounced new European Union rules for expelling illegal immigrants, joining a rising chorus of Latin American countries to oppose the regulations.
Gathered for a regional summit in El Salvador, presidents said they were "profoundly concerned" that the rules could jeopardize human rights.
The European Parliament approved legislation this month allowing illegal immigrants to be detained for up to 18 months to decrease flight risk during deportation procedures. A re-entry ban of up to five years may also be imposed on expelled immigrants who do not cooperate with officials or are deemed a threat.
"The defense of human rights of emigrants, legal or illegal, should be fundamental," Honduran President Manuel Zelaya said. "The European Union has taken a symbolic step back in this sense."
The new guidelines grant detained migrants basic rights, including access to free legal advice. They must be placed in specialized detention centers, not prisons, away from convicted criminals.
About 8 million illegal immigrants live in the 27-nation European Union. Most come from North Africa, former Soviet countries and the Balkans.
The vast majority of Central American and Caribbean migrants seek to escape poverty in the United States.
Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru have also objected to the EU's new rules.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий