‘There were many problems even before Covid.’ Recurrent narratives of crisis in policies for migrants’ regularisation

Abstract

Exploring the case of the temporary regularisation for migrants promoted by Portugal in March 2020, this article problematises ‘recurrent narratives of crisis’. Narratives of crisis tend to depict migration as an exception and a violation of a supposed norm. Their recurrent use by politicians and media conveys the idea of a permanent state of emergency, allows the introduction of short-term measures, and drifts attention off the need for systemic changes. Regularisations have been used several times in European countries to manage migration ‘crises’. Yet, many scholars and activists have voiced doubts on their effectiveness, especially when regularisations only granted a temporary permit. In March 2020, Portugal acknowledged to foreign nationals with pending cases at the Foreigners and Frontiers Service (SEF) the possibility to be considered regular residents for the duration of the national state of emergency. The article sheds light on the discrepancy between the way this measure was presented by politicians and how it was received on the ground. Through new and timely evidence collected during this project, I build on the concept of ‘anti-crisis’ to advocate for a shift from crises narratives onto a more open discussion on systemic issues.