I spoke to a Legal Eagle friend, and to a Human Right Advocate about Voluntary Repatriation. Both confirmed it is a legal option, and whether the migrant is legal or illegal, a return trip should be available to all those who wish to go back to their country of original, because it is within their human rights.
On the subject of it being voluntary: It doesn’t matter. Those repatriated and / or deported will both be blacklisted, unable to return here between 9 months to 4 years, depending on how long they overstayed as undocumented residents here.
DIMAS added a form to its website recently and the option for voluntary repatriation starts there, open to legal workers, illegals, refugees, and economic migrants, and it is the responsibility of the international community and / or the state, to facilitate it.
We were just told today that Venezuela refused to clear humanitarian flights, for now.
With the volatile situation there it is hard to determine for sure, if people escaped from violence, gangs, hunger, or political persecution.
But they are certainly running away from something, to find a better life on the island. Alas, Covid19 got in the way of their plan, many were fired, and will be unable to find work, because most of them operated in the gray economy.
However, hungry, destitute, jobless, no one can be forced to leave especially, refugees or asylum seekers are protected, but in the case of migrant workers there is some room for the government to turn people back.
How?
Those with first, second or third work permit may expect DIMAS to turn their petition for an extension down, so they should be prepared, says my Legal Eagle friend.
If you have three work permits and are married to a Dutch passport-holder, you are safe. If you have five work permits and are eligible to apply for a Dutch passport, you are safe, the rest of work-permit holders depend on GOA’s policy, if the Labor Department decides to negate all requests then we should expect an exodus of people, back to their countries of origin, in both south America and Europe.
But, as long as they are here, GOA has an obligation to take care of them and allow them access to lifesaving measures, including Covid19 testing and treatment.
Our illegal communities rely on their internal networks for support, and so far have been able to sustain themselves with the help of grassroots feeding organizations, and their fellow countrymen. No FASE for those who have been undocumented. They have mostly been paid under the table, and their prospect of being employed again is iffy. But Aruba probably presents an improvement over Venezuela!
There is a polemic lately about Western Union and similar MoneyGram operations. Many are in dismay over the FASE money, supposed to circulate in our economy, sent overseas, to other countries, because our international community supports family members on all four corners of the globe.
You cannot tell people how to spend their money, and if indeed FASE money has to remain here, because it is money we BORROWED, we’d better exchanged the cash for food coupons.
True, there will be an immediate a black coupon market and the vouchers would be exchangeable against a lesser amount of money, at the mini markets, but then one cannot regulate everything, the human race is resilient and creative, and people will find a way.
