Juan Miguel Castillo Pantaleon, a former instruction judge, told reporters he would be filing with the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) a case against the resolution issued on Tuesday, 25 July 2017 by the National Migration Council that extends the National Foreigner Status Legalization Plan (PNRE) for another year. The court is responsible with reviewing if the action taken by government bodies is lawful.
Castillo also noted that a group of citizens would file suit against Minister of Interior and Police Carlos Amarante Baret for violations of the Immigration Law, the Constitution and the Penal Code.
Castillo Pantaleon said that the extension of the deadline established by the law that created the PNRE violates the constitution and called for its annulment. He said the extension of the temporary residency permits under the PNRE by means of a simple administrative resolution issued by the National Migration Council is illegal and in violation of the Constitution.
He noted that the General Law on Migration established that there only be one legalization period (not more than one) and that the process of regularization can only be processed for an individual or a family, but never as a group or as part of a collective action petition. He once again emphasized the fact that Decree 327-13 that established the PNRE also set forth an 18-month deadline that has come and gone. The Ministry of Interior and Police has issued three extensions of the deadline.
Most of the foreigners applying under the PNRE are Haitians who have not been able to obtain essential documentation papers from the Haitian government.
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El Nacional
27 July 2017
