Hundreds of Immigrants Demand Equal Rights in Front of AIMA: A Call for Democracy for All

In a powerful demonstration, Walid Snadoune, a 40-year-old Algerian, carried his nine-month-old son on his shoulders while holding a giant banner displaying his residence permit request submitted in April 2024. The protest took place on Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar, right in front of the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA). Behind him, hundreds of immigrants, primarily from the Indian subcontinent, chanted loudly for 'Residence for All', brandishing signs with messages such as 'We are not criminals', 'We contribute millions to Social Security every year', and 'Democracy for all'. This gathering highlights the ongoing struggles faced by immigrants in Portugal, particularly regarding their lack of responses to residency applications and the concerns raised by associations over a 'fast track' process for companies and the referral of immigrants outside the Schengen area.