Platform for Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)

⭐ SPECIAL ISSUE ⭐ What do EU parties say about migration? Read our article before you vote! As the EU elections approach, we've searched the manifestos of the most important EU parties to find out what they say about migration. Read this special issue of The Migration Papers and find out which of these parties: 😭 mentions "illegal migrants" the most 😊 supports a European-wide campaign for regularisation 😭 wants to increase Frontex powers and budget 😊 supports universal access to health care and education ...and much more! 🗳 Then get out and vote! ❤️ #migration #humanrights #EUelections

No migrant work, no Olympics. It's high time migrant workers got decent pay and working conditions - across Europe. Since June 2022, French prosecutors have opened investigations into undeclared work on the construction sites of the Paris Olympics. Undocumented workers have been employed in the construction of the athletes' village, the Pleyel Tower luxury hotel, and the training base for the Olympic water polo teams. Those who agreed to speak with journalists mostly did so under conditions of anonymity for fear of losing their job. They spoke of endless workdays, unpaid overtime, and hard working conditions. In the face of abuse, they often remain silent, for fear of repercussions. In all this, Médecins du Monde decided to close its clinic in Seine-Saint-Denis to protect undocumented patients from the increase in police checks in the area due to the Olympics. These reports show once again how migrant workers, often undocumented or with precarious permits, underpin key sectors of European economies. It's high time that Europe recognised this and granted decent work permits that let people work and live in dignity and safety. Read more on: 📰 France24 https://lnkd.in/dxTgjveA 📰 L'Humanité https://lnkd.in/drbrNTjk 📰 Le Monde https://lnkd.in/d-C2i9HG #migration #humanrights

Accessing public services shouldn't get you into immigration detention. In Germany, campaigners are fighting back. In Germany, a 1990 law obliges most public sector workers to report undocumented people to migration authorities. The only exception to this rule was carved out in 2011 for schools and kindergartens.   In practice, undocumented people avoid any contact with public authorities. They don’t go to the police to report abuse or seek justice in courts. Many don’t even go to the doctor or end up seeking care only in life-threatening situations. Since 2021, a coalition led by Doctors of the World and the Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte has been campaigning against paragraph 87 of the Residence Act to allow undocumented people to access health care without risking immigration enforcement.   In August 2021, Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte filed a complaint to the European Commission, denouncing violations of the EU data protection rules and the right to health care. They filed a second one in April 2024, and pursued domestic litigation too. We spoke to Sarah Lincoln from Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte (Civil Liberties Association) to know more about this law and what civil society is doing to have it repealed. Read more on: https://lnkd.in/dPCasRgc #migration #humanrights

Want to work with us? We've got quite a few open vacancies! Check them out 👇 ⭐ Deputy Director 💼 We're looking for an experienced professional who will work closely with our Director to provide leadership in strategic planning, funding, and implementing our programmes and priorities. ⏰ 12 August ⭐ Advisors on Participatory Action Research with migrants in food industry 💼 We're seeking three consultants/organisations to conduct peer researcher led focus groups about the living and working conditions of migrants working in food supply chain sectors in The Netherlands, Poland and Spain. ⏰ 12 August ⭐ Advisor on strategic litigation on the EU Migration Pact 💼 We're seeking an external consultant to help us develop a strategy on how to support effective litigation against the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, especially concerning immigration detention and deportations. ⏰ 6 September 📝 All info on the positions and how to apply on https://picum.org/join-us/ #migration #humanrights #jobs #hiring

On migration, Von der Leyen and conservatives get 3 key things wrong. This is how they should be fixed 👇 Today, the President of the European Commission published new Political Guidelines for the next EU Commission. Migration is discussed, once again, under the security chapter. Here are 3 key points that they get wrong about migration: ⛔ Migration is a security threat. ✅ No, migration is simply human and it's part of how our societies grow and thrive. ⛔ Irregular migration is misconduct to fight. ✅ No, migration is MADE irregular by the lack of regular routes and repressive policies. The point is how we can let people move and settle in safety and dignity, so they don't have to rely on irregularised migration. ⛔ Fighting irregular migration and migrant smuggling allows to open regular routes. ✅ It's exactly the opposite. People wouldn't have to rely on "irregular", dangerous and expensive journeys if they had access to safe regular routes in the first place. Letting people move in safety and dignity is the best way to reduce the irregularisation of migration. Read the full text of Von der Leyen's Political Guidelines on https://lnkd.in/ehgEFPsJ © European Union, 2024 #migration #humanrights

No reform will ever soothe the harms of immigration detention. These centres must close, in Greece and everywhere in Europe. The Council of Europe's anti-torture committee just published the report of its visit to immigration detention centres and police stations in Greece. The findings are appalling. "blows with batons and the butt of a rifle, kicks, punches and/or slaps" "verbal abuse, racist insults and aggressive behaviour by police officers" "filthy" cells, mattresses and blankets, "cockroaches and bed bugs" "piles of faeces all over the floor" The list goes on. While conditions might be improved in principle, immigration detention itself has already proven to be harmful for people, regardless. No reform can take away the harms of confinement, the cutting of social contacts, the feeling of being imprisoned for doing something as human as moving. Immigration detention must end. In Greece, and everywhere. Read the full report on https://lnkd.in/dXKEDXvV #migration #humanrights

The EU Migration Pact may have passed, but we're going to fight it. We're looking for someone to help us do just that. We're seeking an external consultant to help us develop a strategy on how to support effective litigation against the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, especially concerning immigration detention and deportations. This includes: 📌 drafting an internal briefing for us, our members and partners for discussion 📌 organising a meeting in March 2025 📌 drafting a final report with key suggestions for our and our members’ work The work should explore different litigation fora including the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Court of Human Rights, the European Committee of Social Rights and UN treaty bodies. 📝 All info on the position and how to apply on https://picum.org/join-us/ 🗓 Deadline: 6 September. #migration #humanrights #jobs #hiring

Migration is human. People helping people is a good thing. EU lawmakers are going against these basic principles. A draft text proposed by the Belgian Council presidency, just published by Statewatch, furthers the criminalisation of irregular entry in the EU and threatens people helping migrants. The text, which was presented to other EU member states on 31st May, is a redraft of proposed changes to the law criminalising the facilitation of irregular migration (2002 Facilitation Directive), which has also been used to criminalise migrants and people acting in solidarity with them. The Belgian redraft will serve as the basis for further discussions within the Council, with Hungary now in the presidency role until the end of this year, in view of adopting a common position on the revised Facilitation Directive. ⛔ The redraft criminalises facilitation of irregular entry into or transit through an EU member state even if the person didn't get any financial benefit, which means anyone helping an undocumented person moving from one place to another, out of solidarity, would risk facing a trial. ⛔ The text also only exempts solidarity from criminalisation when this is directed at "basic human needs", defined as "food, personal hygiene and a place to stay". Any other help would risk being criminalised. 📖 Read more on https://lnkd.in/dJpDBGTW #migration #humanrights

It's not often that you can read editorials by undocumented people themselves on the media. In Belgium, the Coordination of Undocumented People penned a letter to political leaders on the biggest French-speaking newspaper. In it, they call on political forces who won the June federal elections to: ⭐ adopt an asylum and migration policy based on reception and solidarity, guaranteeing respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of exiled persons ⭐ reject the stigmatisation of undocumented people and the equation of immigration with crime ⭐ pass a fair regularisation measure that would allow people to participate fully in society and access their rights, based on clear and objective criteria that consider individual situations of vulnerability and social links in Belgium. The letter is a powerful sign of the mobilisation of undocumented people and allies in Belgium. Congratulations to the Coordination of Undocumented People and to Le Soir for giving a platform to one of the most marginalised groups in Europe. Read more on https://lnkd.in/dmgMvAge More info on the Belgian Coordination of Undocumented People can be found on https://lnkd.in/dTVXc9Fe #migration #humanrights

The next EU leadership must put equality for all on the agenda. Proud to join 130 organisations in calling EU leaders to follow through. We call on the EU leadership to: ⭐ appoint a Commissioner for Equality and Fundamental Rights, ensuring the mandate has the power to renew and deepen the Union of Equality agenda ⭐ strengthen the Union of Equality agenda by introducing new strategies to address grounds not already covered, mainstreaming all strategies across policy areas and renewing and building-out existing equality strategies, such as the Gender Equality Strategy, LGBTIQ Equality Strategy, the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan, the Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion, the EU Strategy on the rights of persons with disabilities and the Roma strategic framework ⭐ ensure the next EU budget includes robust funding streams for civil society organisations working on equality and non-discrimination ⭐ ensure equality and non-discrimination objectives are also core components of EU priorities in the sphere of international cooperation, external and humanitarian action ⭐ maintain the current status of the Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality and refrain from weakening its mandate ⭐ establish a Council configuration dedicated to equality in the EU and ensure concrete commitments towards implementation of equality strategies by member states ⭐ establish a new Directorate-General for Equality and Fundamental Rights thereby strengthening the Commission’s ability to design and monitor equality and non-discrimination laws and policies ⭐ renew and upgrade the mandates of the Commission Coordinators working on equality, ensuring a focus on intersectionality during this term ⭐ entrust the Commission Task Force on Equality with a strong mandate and ensure it works transparently and in close consultation and cooperation with civil society organizations and networks. Read the full statement on: https://lnkd.in/d6ak2QyG #humanrights #equality #socialjustice