The status quo of foreign workers has been violated: "It is unacceptable for the state to hunt them in the streets"
The Population Authority arrested a foreign worker from the Philippines on her way to a meeting at the Mesila aid center in Tel Aviv, violating a long-standing procedure prohibiting arrests at aid centers for foreign workers. Aid organizations warn of a policy change and severe harm to the operations of organizations providing services to migrants. The authority claims the arrest was carried out on the street and does not violate the procedure.
The Population and Immigration Authority arrested an undocumented foreign worker from the Philippines as she was on her way to a meeting at the Mesila aid center in south Tel Aviv. The meeting was intended to help parents in the foreign community prevent their children from sliding into crime and violence. A long-standing police procedure from 2003 prohibits arrests in hospitals, religious institutions, educational institutions, and the offices of human rights organizations and bodies dealing with foreign workers, out of concern that this would lead to avoidance of health and welfare services. Aid organizations, including the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, expressed concern that the arrest heralds a policy change by the Immigration Authority. The executive director of the hotline, Anat Herman Ahroni, stated that this crosses a red line, harming the activities of Mesila and all organizations providing services to migrants. She said, "It is unacceptable that the State of Israel continues to invite tens of thousands of additional migrants into its territory with one hand, while hunting them in the streets with the other." The Population Authority claims the arrest was carried out on the street and not in an office, and therefore does not violate the procedure, and that it was never determined that an illegal resident cannot be detained in a public area. Following the arrest, other women on their way to the meeting turned around and went home, and the meeting was canceled. The next meeting was held on Zoom due to fear of physical attendance. The Tel Aviv Municipality stated that it is aware of the incident and will continue to provide service to all in need.