In response to Chega party deputy Ricardo Reis, who questioned the Minister about data from the Annual Internal Security Report (RASI), Margarida Balseiro Lopes rejected the existence of a link between crime and immigration, stressing that there is no data to support such an association.

"There is no correlation between immigration and crime," said the Minister, during a parliamentary hearing in the parliamentary committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, adding that the generalisation of this discourse does not correspond to reality.

The Minister stressed the additional responsibility of elected deputies, recalling that words spoken in the public sphere can impact society and influence behaviour.

“I was a member of parliament, and the words of members of parliament carry enormous weight, especially when they can amplify behaviours that put people at risk who have nothing to do with this type of generalisation,” she said.

Margarida Balseiro Lopes warned that this type of discourse can ultimately contribute to hostility or aggression toward communities, advocating an approach grounded in facts and respect for human rights.

The Minister reiterated that protecting the dignity and security of people should be a priority, but noted that this objective cannot be linked to immigration without a factual basis.

“Any behaviours that threaten the dignity, security, and lives of women are intolerable, but this cannot be said by linking the conversation to immigration, because objectively, we do not have data to support this correlation,” she stated.

The Minister also highlighted that the only “red line” that should guide the political debate is human rights, calling for a responsible discussion grounded in accurate information.