An announcement that did not go unnoticed

Amidst growing tension over state resources and internal security, the government of Javier Milei decided to move forward with an immigration reform by Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU), which is already generating debate. The announcement was made by presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni from Casa Rosada, flanked by Security Minister Patricia Bullrich and other officials. According to reports, the objective is clear: to restrict the entry of convicted immigrants, facilitate deportations, and reduce state spending on healthcare and education for non-permanent residents.

This change is not minor. It directly affects those who intend to enter the country or are in a temporary immigration situation, but it also reopens an old debate about what kind of country Argentina wants to be.

Central points of the new decree

The DNU, which will be published in the coming days in the Official Gazette, contains several substantial changes:

• Prohibition of entry for convicted individuals: Any foreigner with a criminal conviction will not be allowed to enter the country.

• Expulsion for crimes committed in Argentina: Even without a firm conviction, any foreigner who commits a crime may be deported.

• Rejection of minor crimes: Crimes with penalties of less than 5 years can also be used to deny entry or proceed with expulsion.

• Charging for public healthcare: Temporary, irregular, and non-resident individuals will have to pay for medical care. A mandatory health insurance will be required to enter the country.

• Paid university education: National universities may impose fees on non-permanent foreign residents. The measure does not include compulsory education (preschool, primary, and secondary).

The government's reasons: security and spending

“Argentina has been too permissive with those who entered irregularly,” argued Adorni. Patricia Bullrich, one of the proponents of the DNU, had previously implemented similar measures in 2017 under the management of Mauricio Macri, through the controversial DNU 70/2017, which was later overturned by the government of Alberto Fernández and declared unconstitutional by the courts.

According to official figures, spending on healthcare for foreigners amounts to $114 billion annually. The government seeks to reduce this by transferring part of that cost to those who are neither citizens nor permanent residents.

Migration and crime: how many are there and where do they come from?

The issue of foreigners in prisons often appears as an argument to justify immigration reforms. But what do the numbers say?

• 6% of the total prison population is foreign, according to the National System of Prison Execution Statistics.

• In the Federal Penitentiary System, 16.1% of detainees are foreigners, mostly from Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru.

• In the province of Buenos Aires, 45% of the foreign prison population comes from these three countries.

Although the figure sounds high, more than 39% of prisoners in general do not have a conviction, and overcrowding in prisons reaches 20%, which raises a structural problem beyond nationality.

A decree with history (and opposition)

The current reform seeks to capture the spirit of DNU 70/2017, which was rejected by human rights organizations and declared unconstitutional in 2021. Among the contested points of that decree were:

• Insufficient time limits to appeal expulsions (only three days).

• Lack of procedural guarantees for migrants.

• Concentration of power in Migration without judicial review.

• Direct (and criticized) relationship between migration and crime.

The same arguments will now return to the center of the debate. The use of the DNU for this type of reform will also be discussed in Congress and in the courts.

What does this mean for the average citizen?

This type of reform has direct and indirect effects on daily life:

• If you are a foreigner without permanent residency, you may have to pay for medical treatment in a hospital or enroll in a university.

• If you have family members in irregular immigration status, you might face fast deportation processes.

• If you are Argentine, you may notice changes in access to and congestion of some public services, though there could also be a debate on discrimination and human rights.

A stricter country, is it fairer?

The government seeks to consolidate an image of a "serious country" that imposes clear rules. But the balance between sovereignty and human rights will be key in the discussion that opens.

It is still unclear what the enforcement mechanisms will be, how long each process will take, or how potential appeals or judicial conflicts will be resolved. What is clear is that this new DNU, like the previous one, once again places migration at the center of the national debate.

And in that debate, not only is the economy or security at stake, but also the identity of a country that has always seen itself as a land of opportunity.