Immigration

Reforms will have to be revised again

DAVID MESA/LA PRENSA

law: The initiative aims at encouraging the selective migration.974806

Following criticism of the government’s proposed immigration law from various groups, the Cabinet has decided to ask the Asamblea Nacional to participate in the preparation of a "much more integrated" draft.

The move was reported to La Prensa by the ministro de la Presidencia, Rubén Arosemena Valdés, after an informational meeting last Wednesday with staff of the Dirección Nacional de Migración, which prepared the draft. "The draft is extensive and goes into too much detail, which is a mistake," he said.

The Mesa Nacional de Migrantes y Refugiados de Panamá (Menamire) is the latest group to express its displeasure with the proposed immigration reforms. The Colegio Nacional de Abogados (CNA) and the Consejo Nacional de la Empresa Privada (Conep) strongly criticized the government's proposals earlier this week.

Made up of the Comisión de Justicia y Paz, the Vicariato de Darién and the Instituto de Estudios Nacionales, among others, Menamire has called for wider discussion of immigration law reform. It also warned the government not to let its interest in security and investment cloud its vision of immigrants' human rights.