Uruguay’s diaspora warns Orsi that passport decree is leading to deportations in the United States

Uruguayans living abroad say a passport-renewal requirement introduced after the Sebastián Marset case has exposed members of the diaspora to detention and deportation, particularly in the United States.

The “Department 20,” a term used to represent Uruguay’s diaspora around the world, sent a letter to President Yamandú Orsi about Decree 281/022. Introduced by the government of former President Luis Lacalle Pou in August 2022, the decree changed the rules for issuing passports and travel identity documents.

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which has been documented in numerous cases

The group’s main concern is the requirement for a criminal-record certificate issued by the authorities of the applicant’s country of residence. The measure followed the issuance of a passport to drug trafficker Sebastián Marset while he was detained in Dubai.

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a climate of insecurity and fear

In the letter, the signatories said the requirement exposes Uruguayans to detention or deportation, “which has been documented in numerous cases.” They said it had created “a climate of insecurity and fear” that complicates the regularization of many people’s immigration status. They said the problem has become more acute for Uruguayans in the United States because of recent measures announced by President Donald Trump.

The letter’s eight signatories, based in the United States, Denmark, Spain, Argentina and Italy, also pointed to additional bureaucracy and costs. They acknowledged that the changes were intended to preserve the security and reliability of official documents, but argued that previous irregularities “do not justify, and should not result in harm to thousands of members of our diaspora.” They asked Orsi to reconsider Decree 281/022 and restore Decree 129/014 to speed up procedures for Uruguayans abroad.

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previous irregularities do not justify, and should not result in harm to thousands of members of our diaspora