All migrants involved in spot-check were documented

The results of a document-checking operation carried out by police yesterday in Marsa showed that all of the 84 migrants checked were documented.

Police announced on Wednesday that immigration police as well as district police officers and members from the Rapid Intervention Unit, were dispatched to Marsa at about 6:00am, in order to “identify any migrants that could be in the area”, adding that the main aim of the operation was to ensure that the migrants were in Malta legally.

Later, police said in a statement that all the migrants involved in the operation had been released after all the necessary verifications to “eliminate any doubt that the documents could have been falsified” were carried out.

The police force intends to conduct similar operations at random, the statement added.

The Aditus foundation, an NGO that guarantees legal rights for asylum seekers and refugees, said the State had every right to ensure respect of its immigration rules, “but the climate intentionally created over the past months is one of intimidation, fear and insecurity”.

“This does not promote public order, but instead promotes a racialised approach further fuelling exclusion, marginalisation and division,” Aditus said.