New Costa Rican Immigration Bill Suffers Yet
Another Setback
The Ley General de Migración is back at the
committee level for lack of coordination
between legislators, delaying again the
discussion and vote on the bill. The bill
had to go back to committee, even though it
has completed all stages of the legislative
process.
This is because the Corte Suprema (Supreme
Court) has found duplication between the L
ey General de Migraciónand the Ley de
Protección de Víctimas y Testigos (Law on
Witness and Victim Protection), adopted in
February of this year.
A number of measures are included in both
laws, blamed on legislative committee
members not co-ordinating with the Comisión
de Seguridad Ciudadana (Public Safety
Committee) which discussed the draft to
protect victims and witnesses.
Yesterday the finger pointing began between
legislators, the majority of the blame being
placed on PLN legislator, Olga Corrales, the
president of the Comisión de Gobierno.
Corrales said "without a lie, there was no
time to co-ordinate".
Corrales explained that the work falls on
the advisors and that with some many
projects (bills) that are being dealt with,
it is just impossible.
Although legislators are agreement to pick
up the pace on the amendment, it won't be
weeks or even months before the legislation
is presented again.
In theory, the immigration reform will
strengthen the role of the immigration
police force and the the Dirección General
de Migración itself, strengthening entry and
exit regulations of foreigners.
The bill, which has been categorized as
"urgent" by the government and has the
approval of the current immigration
director, Mario Zamora, may be back before
legislators today, but will be dealt with as
if it had just recently left the committee
stage.
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