The Argentine Government Javier Milei has chosen a new minority as a target and object of stigmatization: the migrants. Your spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, announced in a press conference that “will promote a series of modifications in the immigration regime” to “move towards an orderly country that takes care of its borders and protects Argentines.” This is a bill that the Ministry of the Interior is working on and that will seek to modify “what it means to be a resident”, and establish “a new criterion”, with the main objective of start imposing fees on health and university education.
Nicolas KreplaklMinister of Health of the province of Buenos Aireshas declared that “the ‘measures’ announced by the national government lack knowledge of the functioning of the system and They only seek to provoke, generate hatred and resentment“. For his part, Pablo Ceriani Cernadasa member of the United Nations Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers, considers it a “classic xenophobic populist measure: unconstitutional, discriminatory, ignorant of reality, a strategy to divert attention.”
For these measures to materialize, the Milei Executive must present the project announced by Adorni – on which the Ministry of the Interior is working together with the National Directorate of Migration – to the National Congress in extraordinary sessions – if they are finally convened – or in next year’s ordinary elections, and see if they get enough votes to approve it.
As explained by the Government, currently there are four types of residences For a foreigner: Precarious, which is for 90 days; the Temporary, which is for one year; the Temporary, which is for three years; and the Permanent, which has no expiration date. What they are looking for from La Casa Rosada is that universities can start charging students who have any residence other than permanent residence.
The spokesperson was in charge of advancing this bill that is not yet finished. “First of all It will be established that national universities can charge fees to non-resident foreign students. This will represent a source of financing for study houses. Today one in three medical students is foreign,” he said. Adorniwithout citing the source from which this information was extracted. He also added that, secondly, “We are going to order the end of free medical care for foreigners as we know it until now“.
Guillermo Durandean of the Faculty of Exact Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), corrected Adorni cWhen he assured that currently “there are no students in non-resident status” and that “any student who comes has to obtain their residency.” In fact, foreign students represent only 4.1% of all university students in the country. Furthermore, the analysis of the report Synthesis of Information University Statistics 2022-2023carried out by the current Government, shows that the total that the collection of these fees could contribute is minimal and would not significantly affect the university budget.
Regarding the health system, as Adorni himself recognized, it will be the respective jurisdictions competent in health matters (provincial or municipal) that will determine the conditions of access, including the possibility of charging for the service to foreigners who do not reside in the country. .
Kreplakl advanced: “Do not count on the province of Buenos Aires, where care is free throughout the territory.” The minister also explained that the ideas linked to the collection of benefits with the excuse of reducing public spending are actually a strong debate about the right to health and the role of the State. He also assured that the data contradicts these ideas, since care for non-residents has a minimal impact on the health system.
In the province of Buenos Aires, only 0.2% of consultations and 0.8% of detentions correspond to foreigners. For this reason, the Buenos Aires resident considers that “the ‘measures’ announced by the national government lack knowledge of the functioning of the system and They only seek to provoke, generate hatred and resentment. The minister stated that “this is a debate about those who can or cannot access health care. It must be defended as a universal right. We need more real solutions, not measures that stigmatize and exclude.”
On the other hand, the Minister of Health of the province of Córdoba, Ricardo Pieckenstainerassured that “less than 1.2% of foreign patients” are treated. In addition, he specified that “the majority come from Paraguay or Bolivia for specific care, for a serious health problem or a surgical intervention.”
The Milei Government has also advanced that “the reasons for rejection of admission will be toughened” to the country of foreigners. For this reason, they point out that the immigration reform that they will bring to Congress will be “comprehensive” and will include the areas of “health, security and education.”
Regarding security, they have added that “in this reform We are going to incorporate more crimes as causes to prevent entry or that are justifications for expelling a migrant in the country if he or she is found committing a crime in flagrante delicto or for violating the democratic system by attacking the institutions.” Adorni explained that these people will be expelled “and will be prohibited from entering the country.” Those who try to enter with false documentation or who “are suspected of having a different reason for entry than what they state when they go through immigration” will also be excluded. Additionally, there will be a prison sentence in the case of “a foreigner.” violates the prohibition of entry.”
Many of these issues are already covered in current legislation. That is why the announcement seems like a way to seek the stigmatization of migrants. The xenophobic and discriminatory vision is clear when the spokesperson assures that “The president wants criminals not to enter the countrylet those who are here leave, and we want to fulfill an old desire that many of us have: that the Argentine resident is above the non-resident academically, university-wise, and that those who are Argentine have better conditions and free of charge. “The same in hospitals.”
Adorni has tried to downplay the drama of the announcement, which will imply – if the law is approved – that thousands of people who live on Argentine soil, work and pay taxes, but do not yet have permanent residence, will no longer have access to health and public education.
Bullrich shows his enthusiasm
Patricia BullrichMinister of Security, has expressed in a journalistic consultation her excitement about the announcement of the spokesperson, and has confessed that he arrives after work time. It has also demonstrated a resounding support to the bill. Regarding payment in public universities, Bullrich has indicated that “Those who want to come to study in Argentina and train may do so by paying a fee.which of course will not be the same as a private university, but which will mean a return to people’s income. Otherwise, professionals are trained who study here and then practice in another country.”
However, what excites the Minister of Security the most is the possibility of expelling foreigners who commit a crime. In that sense, it has announced that it is working to implement what it called “express expulsions”but to do so it must modify penal figures provided for in the code.
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