May 02, 2023
Sorry, not sorry for dawn raid?
Minister of Immigration Michael Wood has come under fire for revelations Immigration New Zealand is still conducting raids on homes of those suspected of being overstayers. This comes after a national apology two years ago, to the Pasifika community by the Labour Government, for dawn raids committed in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Immigration New Zealand has admitted it has conduced about 18 raids on whare outside of work hours, since the apology.
The Tongan whānau involved in the latest incident says police showed up at 5am, scaring the tamariki who witnessed their Pāpā into custody. Immigration NZ has disputed the timing, it has admitted the early morning raid was not a one-off.
The Acting Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni has also waded in, saying she is extremely disappointed, that the raids are still happening. She says visits to households outside of hours should only occur if there is a risk to national security.
In the meanwhile Immigration Minister Michael Wood has written to the Head of MBIE Alison MacDonald asking for a please explain.