Thread: Hong Kong has new law to catch and fine refugees w/o visas

Nepali ‘refugees’ in Hong Kong face trouble under new refugee law

Sunday, 15 November 2009 08:30

Panic has gripped Nepali community in Hong Kong following the endorsement of a new refugee law that empowers the administration to nab, fine and jail migrants, who entered Hong Kong without a visa, if they are found working for an employer or doing business, Nagarik daily reported.

Hong Kong Immigration has already nabbed 18 illegal workers and six employers with assistance of other government agencies since the law came into effect Saturday. Although none of the arrested are Nepalis, some 400 Nepalis registered as ‘refugees’ in Hong Kong are fearing arrests soon as the immigration is stepping up raids in various places.

The new regulation passed recently by Hong Kong’s legislature council is aimed at 6000 migrants who entered Hong Kong without a visa and registered themselves at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Although Hong Kong is not a signatory of UN Convention for Refugees, the migrants seeked safe haven under UN Convention Against Torture, to which Hong Kong is a signatory.

The new regulation empowers the administration to slap a fine of HK dollars 50,000 and a jail-term of three years to those who entered Hong Kong without a visa and registered themselves as a refugee with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), if found involved in paid work or business.

According to the Hong Kong immigration there are 400 such Nepalis in Hong Kong. The number of Nepalis seeking refugee status in Hong Kong in 2009 was 153, almost 10 times more than the figure for 2005. nepalnews.com

http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php ... e-law.html

29 illegal workers and employers arrested in Joint Departmental Anti-illegal Worker Operation

Hong Kong (HKSAR) - The Immigration (Amendment) Ordinance 2009 came into force today (November 14). It is an offence for illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or from establishing or joining in any business. A person committing the offence is liable to a fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for three years.

After the commencement of the amendment of the Immigration Ordinance, Immigration Department, together with Hong Kong Police and Labour Department mounted an anti-illegal worker operation today at the New Territories to combat the illegal employment activities. The operation commenced at 8am today (November 14) and ended at 5.30pm on the same day.The operation resulted in the arrest of 29 people, including 22 illegal workers and seven employers.During the operation, immigration, police and labour officers raided76 workplaces in Kwai Chung, Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi, Pat Heung and Ta Kwu Ling districts, including recycling depots, warehouses, industrial buildings, logistics companies and car park loading areas, and checked 205 persons' proof of identity. Among the 22 arrested illegal workers, eight were non-ethnic Chinese illegal immigrants, nine were non-ethnic Chinese visitors and five were Mainland visitors.Among the non-ethnic Chinese arrestees, eight of them were holders of recognizance forms.

"The Immigration Department will continue its efforts to combat immigration offenders and prosecute employers who hire illegal workers," the spokesman stressed.

Source: HKSAR Government

Published on: 2009-11-14

http://7thspace.com/headlines/325570/29 ... ation.html

Face-recognition technology may be used at Hong Kong border checks

Business News
Nov 12, 2009, 2:50 GMT



Hong Kong - Face-recognition technology might be used to screen residents at Hong Kong border checkpoints, Security Secretary Ambrose Lee said Thursday.

The wealthy city of 7 million already uses fingerprint checks to allow permanent residents to pass through unmanned checkpoints using ID cards at its airport and land border crossings.

Now the city is considering introducing face-recognition technology similar to that being put into use at Beijing's international airport, Lee said in a written answer to legislators.

Lee said Hong Kong's Immigration Department would 'examine the feasibility of the introduction of facial recognition technology' in a forthcoming review of its systems.

Facial-recognition technology uses high-tech cameras that identify a person by their distinguishing features and is already used in some closed-circuit television systems in shopping centres and public buildings in China.

The widespread use of facial-recognition technology in CCTV systems as well as border checkpoints has raised concerns among human rights groups that it could be used to monitor dissidents within China.

Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule in 1997 under a 'one country, two systems' arrangement that guarantees political freedoms. It maintains border controls between the city and mainland China.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/ ... der-checks

I am very nervous about the implications of biometric systems.

However, I do think we could learn something about stopping illegals from invading our country from Hong Kong.