As this series has shown, while Brazil offers many advantages to people seeking refuge, its system and overall landscape still leaves a lot to be desired. We close the series by reflecting on what needs to be improved in the immigration system in Brazil, on how these migrants’ lives might change after they gain citizenship, and what their hopes for the future are.
You have to fight to get settled here
“They have to improve the law to facilitate regularisation. The requirement to present proof of everything is a huge barrier. You try to do the right things, but they don't make it easy. They have to facilitate the process. They opened the doors for us, but after we enter, it seems that the doors are closed. They slam the door in our face.”
We can contribute a lot
“After we become naturalised, we can say: I am Brazilian. Now I'm Brazilian, now I can run for president of the republic! We can contribute a lot, but for that to happen a lot has to change. It's not just about having the right document or not, or being able to stay and enter. It is about access to things.”
This document is the key to life
“If I were president today, I would facilitate the documentation. If you have a document, you can open a bank account and open a business. You can pay tax, so the Brazilian government wins as well. This document is the key to life.”
People need to know that our documents are legitimate
“They need to fix the documentation problem. They need to give us a document that is well-recognised and valid for multiple years. They need to communicate to banks and institutions that this document is valid, so that when you arrive at a desk they don’t look at you and think: ‘this person is not from here.’”
Why can't we vote?
“We already live here, we already pay taxes, we already go through everything that the Brazilian people go through. So why can't we vote? It would be great if one day the migration law allowed us to vote. It would be a really important change.”
We have our own voices
“Refugees don't need a spokesperson, they need to pick up the microphone and speak about everything that we experience here in Brazil. This is the opportunity that we are looking for. This refugee has a voice.”
To accompany this series, Missão Paz has also produced a legal support guide for migrants in Brazil. It offers helpful advice on a range of topics – from rights and immigration status to dealing with xenophobia, racism and hate crimes – as well as contact details for migrant support services in the country.
