Israel’s Justice Ministry on Sunday proposed an amendment to a bill that would prohibit African migrants from transferring money abroad to their families.

If the bill is passed, African migrants could face six months in jail, or a NIS 29,200 fine for transferring funds abroad. The sentence is even harsher for anyone who aids African migrants transfer money abroad – one year in jail, a NIS 29,200 fine, or twice the sum the person took out, or was planning to take out, from Israel.

“The proposed bill is meant to help deal with the infiltrator problem by criminalizing the transfer of money by African migrants outside of Israel,” the Justice Ministry statement read.

The ministry said that the bill aims to reduce the economic incentives of illegally entering Israel, and to encourage African migrants to leave the country.

According to the new law, it is estimated that, based in part on the findings of migrant interviews that are conducted by the Population and Migration Authority immediately upon their entry to Israel, many are labor migrants who come to Israel to work and send money to their families back home. Therefore, the law explains, reducing the economic incentive for migrants is a significant and effective tool in dealing with the influx of migrants.

For more, go to Haaretz.com

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