What are the most effective ways to advocate for immigration reform?

I believe that in Portugal the major problem is the bureaucracy and the lack of human force to make the files more efficient. We have a very good officers working at the immigration office but bearing in mind the number of files being submitted per day, clearly exist a lack of officers to deal with it in an expedited way.

I strongly believe that public advocacy is as important as advocating to policymakers and lawmakers. Politicians eventually consider the ballot box when making policy decisions, and if the public is staunchly against certain reforms (whether rightfully or due to misinformation by certain political actors and media outlets), such reforms most likely would not happen. Fighting misinformation is the prime goal in my opinion.

An profund and good immigration law landscape does not only require a variety of immigration options but also a working infrastructure in terms of sufficient workforce a authorities and processes not hindering the usage of the framework.

De manera general, hay una tendencia de estigmatizar al migrante debido a muchas razones. Ejemplos como mano de obra barata que desplaza a la local, violencia generada por migrantes que se tiende a generalizar a todo el gentilicio y espacios de todo tipo ocupados por personas con valores y costumbres distintas, hacen que se pueda generar una distancia entre los migrantes y los ciudadanos del propio país. Por ello, es importante realizar una campaña comunicacional que trate de enseñar ejemplos positivos o exitosos de migrantes, ya que tienden a ser poco ruidosos o vistosos en comparación. De esta manera, se percibiría la migración como algo positivo y sumaría a los esfuerzos de dicha reforma migratoria, a muchos ciudadanos del propio país.

Integrating real migrant stories with data bridges the gap between statistics and the human experience, making the phenomenon of migration relatable. By humanizing data, we transform abstract numbers into narratives of hope and resilience, ensuring a balanced portrayal of both hardships and successes. Employing storytelling techniques such as character development and the hero’s journey enriches these narratives, engaging a wider audience. This approach not only amplifies the impact of the data but also fosters empathy, understanding, and support for migrants by presenting a comprehensive, multi-dimensional view of their experiences.

Be open to collect evidence and data whenever it is available. Think out of the box. Everybody can obtain data, it is an art, however, to interpret it in a way that makes other see a new perspective.

The best coalition reflects different positions and interests but has one core alignment: The willigness to take discussions and comprises in the interest of common goals.

Be authentic! Every topic has many stakeholders. Migration even more so. Do not think that your view is the only relevant one. But do not hesitate to express your view. If it differs from that of your listeners, explain the experience or perspective that lead to you developing this specific opinion. Tell stories and examples to provide the "real life expertise". Do not, never ever exaggerate or lie.

Perspective is everything. We all have our own story to tell or our own path we have walked, but we need to remind ourselves that every person is different and therefore has different opinions and preconceived notions on immigration. Few examples include: those who are migrants themselves, those of migrant backgrounds but born here, those who aren’t migrants but have migrant close family members (spouses/partners for instance) those who have migrant employees working for them, and those who never met a migrant! Therefore, the narrative could be the same, but the delivery must be suitable for different audiences.

As a lawyer, you do not have to use catchphrases or platitudes - you are not a politician. You can argue and act in the best interest of clients and take confrontations and cause changes of administrative practices and regulations. Escalations for reasons is a positive factor for improvements.

Immediate success requires 10 years of preparation. Be patient and persistent. And do not feel left down if an idea you developed is used but changed in the process in a way to end up being worse that the former status quo. Improvement happens by many small steps forward and occasionally large step backwards. And ever so often look at what you have achieved to motivate yourself.

Be passionate about immigration law, as it concerns the possibility for persons to take new opportunities and you will be the one making dreams and options possible.

Being united as a profession and an industry is one of the most efficient ways to advocate for reforms. Peak industry bodies, non-governmental/not-for-profit organisations can combine their political and public advocacy forces together. Again, I have personally “soapboxed” individually before and it worked in certain situations, however I cannot stress enough how being united under the marque of an organisation that wants to better immigration policy, law and practice is important and effective.