Thousands of Illegals Live in Fear of New Immigration Law
Many foreigners, especially Nicaraguans who come to Costa Rica looking for a better opportunity, are living the fear that soon, very soon, the Policía de Migración - immigration police - will visit their place of work in search of illegals.

The immigration department estimates some 500.000 foreigners in Costa of which 1/3 are believed to be in the country illegally.

The fear is real as the new Ley de Migración was approved in the first round of debate on June 7 and is expected to be pass on the second round.

Legislative Deputies are concerned about the constitutionality of the new law and thus have asked the Constitutional Court to comment before second debate begins.

The new law would give the immigration department the authority to visit places of employment and ask for documentation. The new law would also make it illegal for anyone to traffick in illegals, including giving employment or harbouring illegals.

Article 63 of the new immigration law states that anyone entering the country in an illegal manner cannot apply for legal status or be allowed to remain illegally, meaning they will be deported if detected.

Marco Badilla, immigration director, admits that it is not clear what will happen to all the illegals now in the country. Their future will be determined as the law evolves and is put into practice.

Badilla added that there exists the possibility that the government may make some exceptions, like the amnesty program for Nicaraguans some years back, however, his department is not in agreement.

Critics say that the government is not taking into account the economic contribution this group (illegals) make, providing menial labour that Costa Ricans don't want to do, like domestic work and in construction.

Nicaraguans mainly provide the coffee industry with a temporary labour force, such that the Instituto del Café de Costa Rica (Icafé) began last year a hotline for coffee producers to post their labour requirements which is mainly filled by foreigners coming to Costa Rica illegally.

In addition, during the last crop season, the government passed a regulation that makes the movement of foreign labour (Nicaraguans) much easier and without many restrictions. Nicaraguans who depend on the Costa Rican coffee crop can now move with much more freedom, providing the coffee industry with a vital source of labour.

Badilla defends his position assuring that the new law is only to form a base for immigration policies and not a persecution.

By the numbers
According to immigration data for the year 2004

Number of visitors refused entry: 46.552

Number of persons deported: 1.031

Number of refugees living in Costa Rica: 11.000

Number of foreigners in Costa Rican jails: 903

Number of foreign students: 45.900

Number of persons entering Costa Rica: 1.838.188

Number of persons leaving Costa Rica: 1.801.839