Terrible case of child abuse making the rounds of news now.
A certified and registered foster mother took charge of a one year old boy back in September and abused him for three months until the boy’s death in December. During the three months under her care the government conducted visits to check on the child and claimed no signs of abuse.
There are accusations of falsified reports since the boy had injuries to head, fingernails removed, and teeth broken. News is just coming out now so people are speculating this was covered up because of the recent elections.
We’re learning more about the race-based systems failure here.
As this story quietly points out, the kid who died and the other who was abused were kids of undocumented migrant workers making their way in the wilds of Taiwan’s informal / grey market economy. How many of these kids are in Taiwan now potentially facing similar risks? The estimates are between several thousand to around 20,000. The system failure here is immense.
Some helpful background information appears in this feature by Michael Turton, written in January before the news of the death of this child became widely known.
This would just cause an increase in migrants who then see that the easiest and best path to residency and citizenship is to run away from their authorized employment and have babies. It would definitely encourage more illegal behavior. Why reward illegal behavior?
Just look at the US southern border for all the illegals who cross illegally and then have babies in the US in order to secure birthright citizenship. Also, look at all the birth tourism schemes from China and Taiwan that take advantage of it as well.
This would also be a huge slap in the face for all the children who were born and raised in Taiwan whose parents are non-Taiwanese citizens and have lived in Taiwan legally, but have zero path to Taiwanese citizenship without renouncing their citizenships due to neither parent being a Taiwanese citizen.
Turton has a personal stake in such a policy, no? He’s mentioned in other Taipei Times articles about the bureaucratic rigmarole he faced with a PI significant other.
It’s not about us vs them but what’s best for the kids. It’s obvious their current system for ‘looking after’ the kids is not working properly, the government officials even admit as much in the article.
Besides Taiwan has a desperate lack of babies and workers I really don’t see the problem if they are attracting more migrants to live here but the welfare of the kids especially needs to be improved.
If you prefer Taiwan to turn into an old folks home then just continue on the current path.
I think some of the law-and-order posters above could do well to ask themselves: what happens when documented (aka LEGAL) migrant workers) have a kid in Taiwan?
There is no way to go from illegal stay to residency. They would be deported and get an entry ban. Later the residency visa for joining family can get denied based on those previous transgressions.
Letting children be on illegal status without access to proper healthcare or education should not be allowed simply based on human rights. It does not matter who the parents are or what they did.
My point is the ongoing policing / ineffective prohibition of the sexualities of migrant workers, brought in during their peak adult life.
We post away on these issues on this site, but I don’t think any of us would willingly put up with the bullsh&t that accompanies this sort of policing in our lives.
A little more sympathy would be in order here, frankly. Plus all what @slawa has noted.
It is wrong to claim that children of foreign parents have no path to citizenship. They can naturalize and for children it’s listed in the nationality act.
Just on this forum recently were you tube of children naturalized with a foreign parent as they are locally born and raised.
I got a beef with this as at least the 3 cases I’ve known and I bet quite a few cases the father is Taiwanese, either the employer or relative of the employer.
If you think that is an advantage, think about why the mothers can’t take the kids back when they leave.
As to why they run away from their workplaces, the inhuman treatment and conditions speak for themselves.
