The children’s commissioner has urged the government and its authorities to exercise caution when considering the deportation of migrant children and their families.
In a statement on Monday, the Office of the Commissioner for Children said was “closely following” media reports of families facing deportation after living in Malta for years.
On Saturday, Times of Malta reported the Ethiopian community was “living in fear” after dozens of Ethopian nationals had been rounded up by police and sent back to Ethopia, despite living and working legally in Malta for up to 19 years.
Calling for caution in the treatment of migrant children and their families, the commissioner said migrants who had settled in Malta and integrated into Maltese society “should be given a more definite and permanent status”.
This was important to allow children to access their rights as prescribed by the United Nations (UN), including the right to education, the commissioner said.
“Children who are born here, irrespective of their status, only know Malta as their home and therefore we believe that it is in the best interest of these migrant children for the status of the entire family unit to be regularised,” the commissioner said.
It said such protection "safeguards the children’s fundamental right to a family life."
The commissioner called for such regularisation to be extended to "migrant children born in other countries but who have settled and integrated here whether or not they enjoy international protection.”
"No child should be made to live in fear of deportation; they have a right to live in a safe and secure environment”, the commissioner said.
One Ethopian national told Times of Malta his community was being "treated like criminals, like animals” and said he feared authorities knocking at his door.
He said he was left scared after five of his friends were arrested at work and taken into detention following their application for refugee status being rejected.
Until recently, they had temporary protection status and had a yellow book that allowed them to work legally. Some even had their own businesses.
Responding to questions last week, the home affairs ministry said persons arriving in Malta irregularly who do not qualify for international protection are offered a voluntary return package.
“If they refuse the voluntary return scheme, they are then subject to forced return, depending on the level of cooperation by the country of origin”, a ministry spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that actions taken affecting the Ethiopian community were in line with an EU decision to step up readmission efforts with the country following an assessment carried out by the European Commission.
In January, migrants and activists took to the streets of Ħamrun and Valletta calling for policy changes that would grant migrants and their children born in Malta residency, social rights and stability.