Government: Deportation news in Portugal

Immigration: Government aligns with Chega and leaves the PS with room to manoeuvre

Over 27,000 immigrants told to leave Portugal in 2026

Home News Over 27,000 immigrants told to leave Portugal in 2026 Over 27,000 immigrants told to leave Portugal in 2026 In 2026, more than 27,000 immigrants received orders to leave Portugal, but only around 800 complied with the voluntary departure notification. By Bruno G.

Portuguese national detained by ICE to be deported within days

The Portuguese national who was detained a month ago by US immigration police is set to be deported.

Portuguese man detained for a month in an ICE detention centre to be deported to Lisbon soon

A Portuguese citizen who has been held for a month in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centre will soon be deported to Lisbon. The news was reported by SIC, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry, led by Paulo Rangel, stated that the deportation process is underway, with a flight to Lisbon scheduled for early next month, and confirmed it has been in contact with US authorities via the Consulate-General in San Francisco. Hugo Sousa has been in a detention centre in Tacoma, Washington, for a month. The reasons for his detention remain unknown. The Portuguese citizen was reportedly using a temporary travel authorisation to enter the United States, where he has lived for years, having attempted to enter via the Canadian border. Hugo Freitas de Sousa, born 39 years ago on Terceira Island, spent four days on a hunger strike but has decided to end the protest.

Court unanimously declares that the Return Law is 'not unconstitutional'

The Constitutional Court decided there is no unconstitutionality in the Return Law. The President of the Republic, António José Seguro, had requested an assessment of the decree in July due to doubts regarding its incompatibility with the Constitution.

10 PM. Return Law. PCP says President's decision is "no surprise"

The President of the Republic has requested that the Constitutional Court conduct a preventive review of the Return Law. Additionally, Trump says he will take the White House ballroom case to the Supreme Court.

More than 20 Portuguese citizens requested asylum in the United Kingdom in 2025

The United States leads the list with 156 requests. Among the applicants are citizens subject to deportation orders, who use asylum requests to delay their expulsion from the country.

Immigration: Return law discussed in parliament today

The Government intends to extend the detention period for foreigners in temporary holding centres and equivalent facilities for the purpose of deportation from the current 60 days to 180 days.

Proposed amendments to the law regulating immigrant deportation rejected by judges

Opinion states that the Government's proposals “appear to affront” European directives and opposes the expulsion of minors under 18. Changes to be discussed in plenary on the 15th.

Six Madeirans forced to return to Portugal after committing crimes in France, the UK and the USA in 2025

In total, more than 300 Portuguese citizens were deported, according to the Annual Internal Security Report. The majority are men aged between 20 and 29.

RASI: 23,000 immigrants notified to leave the country in a single year, 252 were expelled (five times more than in 2023)

Portugal records a record increase in notifications to leave the country; the effective removal rate increased even before the new law. Immigration enforcement actions increased, but found little more than a thousand illegal residents in the national territory. Crimes committed by immigrants remain stable (and Hindustani individuals are not among those most identified).

“Return package”. Government maintains new rule facilitating the deportation of immigrants with minor children

The Government has kept the rule in the new version of the “return package” that facilitates the deportation of immigrants with minor children in national territory. The text specifies that the current protection against expulsion only applies if the child is a legal resident. The new wording of Article 135 of the law, concerning “limits to expulsion,” states that this applies to those who “have minor children, nationals of a third state, who are legal residents in Portuguese territory, for whom they effectively assume parental responsibilities and ensure their support and education.” The full text was released this Monday, March 30, following its submission to Parliament. Despite concerns raised by advisors and during public consultation regarding the protection of children, the executive has disregarded these inputs. Another change requires at least five years of residency in the country to benefit from this non-deportation rule, whereas currently, the length of residency is not a factor when minor children are involved.

Government drops 20-year entry ban for expelled foreigners

The proposal submitted to Parliament maintains a ban of up to five years, which may be extended if there is a serious threat to public order or security.

Stopover in Lisbon delays deportation of former Finance Minister Manuel Chang to Mozambique

An “immediate deportation” was requested by the Mozambican's defence team to the US court.

Stopover in Lisbon delays deportation of former Finance Minister Chang to Mozambique

The defence team for former Mozambican Finance Minister Manuel Chang has requested that the US court order his “immediate deportation” to Mozambique, following his scheduled release on 26 March, which has been delayed due to issues with a stopover in Lisbon.

"Return package": See the changes facilitating the deportation of immigrants from Portugal

The Portuguese government has approved a series of mechanisms to facilitate the deportation of immigrants in an irregular situation in the country. The so-called “return package” will now issue notifications for foreigners to leave Portugal, known as a “duty to leave”. The government promises to notify several people in the coming days. Furthermore, irregular immigrants may be detained for longer periods while awaiting deportation. The changes are causing concern, especially due to the delays by the government itself, through the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), in processing residence applications and issuing authorization cards on time. DN Brasil editor Amanda Lima explains.

Diário de Notícias27 Mar

Watch this Friday's Radar DN Brasil, March 27

In today's Radar DN Brasil, follow the first emergency evacuation drill for a tsunami in Lisbon, an important measure given the Portuguese capital's location in a high-risk area for earthquakes and tsunamis. DN political reporter Frederico Bártolo discusses the next steps for the Nationality Law debate in parliament, returning to the floor on April 1st. Click here to follow the DN Brasil channel on WhatsApp! DN Brasil editor Amanda Lima explains the approved 'Return Package,' which will accelerate the deportation of irregular immigrants. In the debut of the Rota Tropical column, a partnership between DN Brasil and DN Sport, Nuno Tibiriçá details UEFA's punishment of Benfica for racist fan behavior against Vinicius Jr. during February's Champions League match. Also, details on the launch of the 'Friends of Brazil' contest, offering cash prizes to students and teachers in Portuguese schools for projects promoting positive relations with Brazilians, an attempt to combat xenophobia in schools. Subscribe to DN Brasil on YouTube and Spotify so you don't miss any episodes! Radar DN Brasil airs every Friday at 8 am on DN Brasil's YouTube and Spotify channels, providing a weekly summary of everything relevant to Brazilians in Portugal. DN Brasil is a section of Diário de Notícias dedicated to the Brazilian community living in or planning to move to Portugal. Texts are written in Brazilian Portuguese. Suspected of fraud, the owner of Banco Master gave 8 million euros to attempt to buy a bank in Portugal. Growing xenophobia in Portugal is 'very stupid,' says Gregório Duvivier.

Dinheiro Vivo27 Mar

EU countries push to set up deportation hubs by year-end

“The era of deportations has begun,” lawmaker Charlie Weimers said after the European Parliament backed stricter migration rules.

Time and the law

The article discusses the legal implications of time limits, specifically focusing on the government's proposal to extend the 60-day detention limit for illegal immigrants to 18 months. The author argues that the government is using the 'short' duration of the deadline as an excuse for its own failure to provide sufficient resources for deportation processes, drawing a comparison to the violation of procedural deadlines in criminal cases and the potential for such logic to be applied to the National Health Service (SNS).

Ventura confident in rapid approval of return law

André Ventura says there are “good signs from both sides” in negotiations with the Government. The party wants an end to the suspensive effect on asylum applications and faster deportations.

Contraponto: The Return Law and the election of external bodies of the Assembly of the Republic

In this Thursday's episode of Contraponto, moderated by journalist João Adelino Faria, the new law on the return of migrants and the difficulties in electing external bodies of the Assembly of the Republic were under debate.

Government tightens deportation rules in Portugal. Understand who may be affected

The Portuguese government has announced changes to deportation rules, causing concern among immigrants. The new measures include the end of voluntary departure notifications, stricter expulsion criteria requiring five years of residency for protection, an increase in detention time for immigrants up to 360 days, and a five-year ban on re-entry into the Schengen Area. These changes primarily target those without a legal right to reside in the country, such as those whose residency applications were denied or who entered without a visa, while clarifying that those awaiting AIMA responses are not considered to be in an illegal situation.

Dinheiro Vivo19 Mar

New return policy for immigrants includes up to one year of detention

Parliament is deciding on new return rules, which include up to one year of detention and the end of notifications for voluntary departure. The case of Moroccans released in the Algarve is being used as an example.

Portuguese police stop foreigners arriving on flights from the European Union

The procedure aims to identify immigrants who lack the proper documentation to live in the country but are risking travel within the European Union. The government wants to facilitate deportations.

Government aims to streamline deportation of illegal immigrants and extend detention periods to up to a year and a half

The return law is the third legislative piece of the Government's migration policy and was approved this Thursday by the Council of Ministers.

New rules to facilitate immigrant deportation voted on today at the Council of Ministers

The Government's proposal to accelerate the deportation of immigrants is up for a vote this Thursday, March 19. The document has undergone changes following public consultation, including the softening of rules regarding the deportation of immigrants with minor children. Previous versions included measures such as eliminating the 20-day period for voluntary departure and increasing detention periods for foreigners to 540 days. Minister António Leitão Amaro describes this as the final major legislative piece in the country's migration reform, following previous attempts that faced challenges from the Constitutional Court.

Voluntary return of illegal immigrants increased fourfold in 2025

More than half of the deportation proceedings of foreigners in 2024 and 2025 involved Brazilian citizens.

PSP detained 30 immigrants in operations in the Lisbon region carried out in 2025

The Public Security Police (PSP) detained 30 foreign nationals and issued notices to nearly 100 immigrants to voluntarily leave the country during immigration enforcement operations carried out in the Lisbon region last year.