'Not comparable to the past': Minister defends immigration changes after Pacific concerns

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford has defended the Government’s latest immigration measures, saying they are tightly controlled and not comparable to the heavy-handed practices of the past.

Her response comes after concerns raised in an op-ed by Dr Melani Anae, chair of the Polynesian Panther Party Legacy Trust, about whether the current policy risks repeating harmful enforcement patterns.

The opinion piece was published by PMN News on Monday.

In a statement, Stanford said changes introduced since coming into Government were designed to address those very concerns, particularly around how and when immigration officers operate.

“After coming into Government, we introduced legislative change that significantly limits out-of-hours immigration activity," her statement read.

"This can now only be carried out with a judicial warrant and is used as a last resort.

Dr Melani Anae’s op-ed argued current immigration enforcement continues a logic that has historically harmed Pacific communities.

"This followed concerns raised by Pacific communities that led to the recommendations in the Heron report from May 2023 that we have now enacted in totality.”

She pushed back on comparisons to the Dawn Raids era, arguing the context and scale of today’s measures are very different.

“The issues raised in the article are predominantly historic," the minister said.

Stanford says proposed changes to the immigration bill are proportionate, justified, and reviewable, aimed at closing specific compliance gaps.

"As the op-ed states, the Government's law changes are not comparable - the current immigration bill going through Parliament does not make major changes to immigration officer powers and aims to address a very narrow and specific compliance gap.”

A key concern raised by critics has been the potential for expanded powers during compliance checks. Stanford said safeguards remain in place and officers cannot act without cause.

“Immigration officers do not have general stopping powers to stop someone in the street or come into their home.

"To request identification, an officer needs to have good cause to suspect someone may be liable for deportation or subject to turnaround.

"The proposed change means an officer could request identity in cases where, for example, they are at an address for a compliance visit and witness someone hiding or attempting to run away.”

The Minister said the proposed changes are focused and proportionate, aimed at closing specific gaps rather than expanding broad enforcement powers.

“The proposed amendments in the bill are intended to be proportionate and justified, and are reviewable,” she said.

The response highlights a clear divide in how current immigration policy is viewed, with the Government maintaining it has strengthened safeguards, while critics continue to question whether the underlying approach has truly shifted.