Migrants to be repatriated - ministry

To the Authorities, here in Canada we share Lake Ontario with the USA. Patrol boats covers the crossings. What are your Maltese Patrol Boats doing while these illegal immigrants are entering the Maltese waters? don't give me the excuse of "not seeing them coming"!! The problem is right there, escorting them in!!

Yes Anthony J. Camilleri I think its a must that the goverment should resign and I hope that whoever replace him have enough knowledge and courage to say ' that 's enough.' Our country and its people come first' This crisis must come to an end. Passing through Marsa, I could see more coloured people than white. This is how they are taking over. I would like to clear myself that I have nothing against coloured people who are here legally but them taking over our country illegally, yes it is rather very worrying.

@ P Debono Ohhh yea, our streets are getting VERY SCARY because we have some black persons walking on our streets and some black persons cleaning our streets. Please stop increasing fear where it's not needed!! Illegal immigrants have to be sent back but those who have problems at home have to stay here. Let me remind you that when in Malta we had lacked jobs, most of our youths left this island, and now you pretend that people who are risking their lives in their country stay there without trying to find a better future in Europe?! This is hypocricy!!!!

Read my lips. Not the Water and Electricity hike; not even an economic crisis will cause this government its downfall. Illegal migration will.

Judging from the assortment of nationalities it seems that people from all over Africa are leaving for Europe. Do the EU and UN people really think that we can receive and keep all these people here? They must be living in dreamland!!! The govt must take a firm stand and repatriate all immediately together with those who are already here! This is one great emergency!

@ Carmel Camilleri

I will believe that these illegal immigrants have been repatriated when I see it.

Recently there was a case involving a Tunisian who should have been repatriated and who had been freed from detention. So, my point was that, yes, some of these arrivals are candidates for repatriaton, but there's many a slip between the cup and the lip.

Finally, some serious action. It should be extended to all immigrants in Malta. Giva Malta back to the Maltese please!!!

@ Margaret Richards

Contrary to what you claimed, the Army and the Police have always been referred to positively in these comments boards on the issue of illegal immigration.

The supposed "endless sterling work" by the NGOs you are referring to has clearly done the opposite of what you claim. It has led to massive and uncontrolled illegal immigration in Malta which is grossly unfair to Maltese citizens.

Furthermore, there is no point in giving people the right to vote while at the same time ensuring that there will be no one to vote for on the issue of illegal immigration.

You are also "sure" that repatriation "will be done". What we are sure of is that there are already hundreds of illegal immigrants roaming the streets of Malta and selling cheap labour to the detriment of Maltese workers.

The country needs to send a clear message that illegal immigration is ILLEGAL!

While I agree with repatriation of people who really do not deserve humanitarian protection, and believe in the importance of human dignity should be respected at all times, why should the country pay for the expenses of repatriation? If the illegal immigrants who do not deserve humanitarian protection have money only for a one way ticket, they should repay by doing work for the community.

Behind ignorance there is fear. Most comments here stem out of ignorance of the situation, the difference between legal, illegal and Temporary status immigrants, refugees etc...Before people speak, they should inform themselves.
If the only way to express yourself is to write something on your vote...well...all is said in that...The alternative:ask questions, seek answers, understand...
This group was easy to send because they could be identified. The situation in North Africa is different from that of the horn of Africa...but we don't care about that do we?
Do we dare ask? Educate ourselves? That would be too much..Enjoy commenting...

We Maltese pretend that not only people coming illegally from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Pakistan and Bangladesh will be repatriated.
Illegal immigration refers to immigration across national borders in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destination country.
Illegal immigration is illegal immigration in its word no matter from where they come from, so

SEND ALL PEOPLE WHO COME HERE ILLEGALLY!!

For how long will this situation be sustainable? (if at all) How much more can we take on our tiny island?
Repatriate them all as soon as possible.

Margaret Richards
What we know is that the ilegal immigrats are imposing themselves upon us without having absolutely NO right to be here and that they have been living for years in Libya.
Since all political parties want to do nothing about repatriation of all illegal immigrats wherever they come from, then the only option available to us is to vote and then write our message on the vote.
This is the only way politicants will hopefully listen.
Re the sterling work of the NGO's you listed, all I can say is that NGOs are better known as No Good Organizations. The only people we should thank are the AFM and the Police who are being hampered in their work by the NGOs you mentioned.
Re my vote, don't think that that right was given to me and us on a silver platter, but our forefathers had to fight for this right.
You should know that previously, only those who had a certain income or had property had a vote and a multiple one at that.
What we know is that the illegal immigrats have no right to be here and the politicants are doing nothing to repatriate them all.

who is going to pay for their repatriation?
most probably we

Thank God we are doing the right thing,hopefully that our government will keep on this engagement and the proper message received by the invaders.

Wool over your eyes. The majority of the 265 that arrived will be repatriated! What about the others that have come illegally? Do not be fooled by these statements they are only said to seem that the so called authorities are doing something.

The Maltese authorities have no authority as if these illegals do not humanitarian or refugee status and they decide not to leave they can do nothing about it. There is one law for us law abiding citizens and no law for non abiding citizens. Crime does pay.

It is a ploy to give us the impression that something is being done. However fact and fiction are not related.

How unlucky are these illegal migrants!
What made the government change it's mind in not letting them stay with us? Every morning, I know that the minister responsible passes through Marsa on his way to the Ministry. God blessed him with good eye-sight. But he must be turning a blind eye in not seeing the numerous illegal migrants waiting on/or near bus stops ready to be picked up. Not for prostitution, but for cheap labour.
This is Catholic Malta!
Norman Lowell is accused for racism! It won't be long when we'll all be blaming ourselves for not hindering his warnings. But then it would be too late.
Before I forget, less illegal migrants means less funds from EU, less lemons to squeeze when we need a dirty job to be done, and less racism like today's.
Viva EU's help when we are so in need. 3,000,000 euros is not enough, give us more from our own taxes!!!!!!!!

Dearest Ministry,

What about the thousands of illegals that are roaming our country at will? Our streets are getting scary.

Tunisians , Algerians , Morroccans......are the side-stepping the Italian islands (nearer to them ) ? = If so , does that mean that Malta is going to be the MAIN stepping stone that these
poor wretched people think is the soft spot ( hopefully ) to enter Mecca-EuroLand ?
Someone , somewhere should find a solution to this very seriuos problem.

Great news lets hope we see pictures of these illegal immigrants returning home asap

joseph zammit
The only way the Maltese politicants understand is to go and vote and then write your message on your vote.

@ Charles Sammut

Helloo??

The whole point of the Government's statement seems to be that this lot are going to be repatriated because they are easily identifiable (presumably unlike those coming from Western African countries and Horn of Africa which seem to be the real problem). I also recall that Government had said the Italian Government had not re-invented the wheel when it said it was going to repatriate Egyptians immediately, simply because we had been doing that since 2002.

What puzzles me is how come this time they are coming from northern Africa and Asia, and not from the "usual" countries. Is it a change in trend?

At most time the less said the better, as silence is gold!!! Since you are neither in the shoes of the immigrants nor in the shoes of the government, i'd just stay quiet and not talk unnecessarily. At this time i would like to thank all those who are rarely mentioned positively, The Army, the Police, the OIWAS personnel, Refugee Commission Personnel, Refugee Appeals Board, Appogg, Emigrants' Commission, Fr. D. Mintoff, all the relevant NGO's for the endless sterling work they are doing behind the scenes without who's work,, the situation will be unsustainable. As per repatriation, i'm sure it will be done, as it has been done before, in the least time possible. So a BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THE ABOVE MENTIONED ENTITIES. As regards to voting, the vote is yours, you are free to do with it as you like, but threatening is not going to get anyone anywhere, but remember you are lucky enough to have something most of these do people do not have - YOUR VOTE!!!

The Ministry of Home Affairs, is going to do what the what Us Maltese People expect it to do and many thanks for that, Hopefully the Ministry Will do the same to all the illegal migrants
where ever they come from will get the same treatment.
Even if the U.N and C.O won't like it too ! Malta is a free country, ONLY if Our Gov't will blow the whistle, and of That I have no doubt, Since this is a National Problem.

@ Ronnie Galea

Aren't you counting your chickens before they hatch?

It will take so long to process them that many of them will be released before they are repatriated.There are hundreds like that already. Just hot air from the minister.

The only good news for Malta is when these people do not enter our country illegally anymore.

..and what about the remaining minority? will they be granted an economical refugee status? Lets raise more our taxes so that we will give them 5000 euros each so they return back to their homeland wile laughing at our backs..
Well done Mr. Goverment and opposition.. Hope you will call me again to remind me to go and cast my vote on coming elections

When they are going to be repatriated? Already we have hundreds of these persons working in the trade sector .

I subscribe to the views expressed hereunder by Louise Vella, well said to her and well done to the Hon. Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici on this one.

Good. After sending this group back continue with the rest.

Repatriation is not always easy especially when the authorities have no clue from where they came from......seems that today's influx of illegal immigrants can be repatriated as they have the right information of their origins......otherwise it would not have been possible to repatriate them.

some good news at the end of this tragic story for Malta !!!

Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici should be congratulated for his firm stand. He must have understood that a soft attitude will only attract more illegal immigrants.

Could Dr Mifsud Bonnici keep the general (and particularly concerned) public informed of the repatriations as they take place?

Repatriations should be given publicity because they send the right message to the hundreds of thousands (press reports say two million!) who are waiting on the Libyan shore ready to sail to Europe's southern shores.

This event indicates that Malta's ability to have control over its territorial waters, let alone the vaster sea-areas for which we are responsible, is practically non-existent. This is a responsibility which ALL governments since independence have failed to tackle effectively. Luckiliy, these illegal immigrants came from Tunisia (we are told) and can be repatriated. What would we have done had they come from other parts of Africa?

Good news!

The faster the better.
ALL illegal immigrats must be deported back to their own countries.