Ógra UCD Condemns the Decision to Deport our Migrant Frontline Staff

Ógra Shinn Féin UCD, utterly condemn the decision to deport migrant frontline healthcare workers, who during the 1st wave and 2nd wave of the Covid19 pandemic in Ireland, risked their lives to save others.

It was only in 2018 that refugees and asylum seekers were allowed to work, as Ireland signed up the Recast Reception Directive 2013, after the N.H.V. v Minister for Justice [2017] case. Thanks to this decision, refugees and asylum seekers were allowed to work when there was a shortage of healthcare workers during a pandemic like we have never seen before (67,526 cases, 1,978 deaths). We owe them a lot for the sacrifices they have made.

These migrants were fleeing LBGTQ+ persecution in their home countries. The department even denied an appeal of one migrant as she didn’t seem “bisexual enough”. Knowing this, the department wants to send them back where their lives will be in danger again. They should be given refugee status or subsidiary protection status in Ireland.

Ógra Shinn Féin UCD will always welcome refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland. We believe the Department of Justice has made the wrong decision to deport these people and hope they will reverse that decision. Ireland is a country of a hundred thousand welcomes, we should show it!

Ógra UCD