The Brexit vote drew sighs of anxiety in Goa. The reason: about 25,000 Goans, who had acquired Portuguese nationality precisely to enter the UK, were fearful of their future. A return to Goa was unthinkable and deportation to Portugal frightening. However, there is a glimmer of hope. The silver lining of the dark cloud has revealed itself in the form of a parliamentary report which has warned the government of Theresa May against plans to deport EU nationals residing in the UK. The report, prepared by the House of Commons Joint Committee on Human Rights said that an attempt to deport EU nationals would result in lengthy litigation and be expensive. Since immigration cases involve residence rights of children and family connections each case would have to be treated on merits. The committee also called on the government to list the fundamental rights currently extended to migrants by the EU. It also issued a wielded threat that any changes in the status of EU citizens would require clearance from both Houses of Parliament.
The report, to some extent, complicates the May government’s job. Having firmly pledged to raise walls to combat free movement of immigrants, a big factor in the Brexit vote, the government has to push through legislation and rules to ensure that the reins of immigration are in the hands of Britain and not the EU or any other entity. At the EU summit in Brussels in October, May and home secretary Amber Rudd emphasised that Britain was not in favour of allowing free movement of EU citizens. Britain needs to have an immigration policy, but the question is what kind? Rudd has suggested that immigration should be allowed only if candidates have a firm job offer and place of residence. UK companies will have to provide this information before sponsoring an immigration visa. Another suggestion is to empower regions to take these decisions based on local needs.
The Parliamentary report has raised valid points, the most important of them being litigation which could clog UK courts and leave the issue undecided for months, if not years. To uproot those who have already migrated would mean breaking up families which would be painful to everyone and a violation of basic human rights. Although immigration is a sour point with Brits, it is not overwhelming. There are about 179,000 EU citizens in the UK, of which half have valid work permits. The remainder is not large enough to weaken social and cultural moorings of Britain. The May government is serious about putting in place an immigration screen to ensure that the spirit of Brexit is respected, but it’s proving to be not only difficult, but also a lengthy process needing consultation at various levels and with a myriad of sectors. The Parliamentary report needs to be heeded by the government because it rightly points to problem that could arise if a hasty or emotional decision were to be taken.
