The Government of Spain revived the debate about the extraordinary regularization of immigrants in an irregular situation, a proposal that could benefit nearly half a million people currently residing in the country without documentation.
This initiative, initially promoted as a Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP), had been stalled in Congress for over a year despite being supported by more than 600,000 signatures and the backing of large sectors of civil society.
The proposal gained new momentum after the drafting of a bill by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), which includes a "transitional, exceptional, and time-limited regime," according to El Mundo.
This regulation would grant residence and work permits to foreigners who have been in Spain since before December 31, 2024, and who meet a series of requirements yet to be defined in a subsequent decree.
The new text not only aims to unlock the original ILP but also to complement the recent reform of the Immigration Regulation, which is in effect starting this May 20th.
According to official figures, this regulation will allow for the regularization of around 900,000 migrants over three years, through mechanisms such as social and labor ties, special visas, and facilities for family reunification.
However, the Executive itself has acknowledged that the reform will not be sufficient to provide coverage for all individuals in vulnerable situations or with rejected asylum applications.
An outstanding debt with social reality
From the Executive, the Government spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, celebrated that the issue "is back on track" and emphasized the importance of addressing a social reality that can no longer be ignored.
For his part, the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, emphasized that many of these individuals have been working for years and contributing to the economy in sectors such as elderly care, domestic work, agriculture, and construction, without any form of legal or labor protection.
Irregular migrants have reported in 20 Minutos that "not having papers is ruinous," reflecting the precariousness and constant fear of living without documentation in Spain. For many, the possibility of regularization represents not only a pathway to obtain basic rights but also an opportunity to fully integrate into Spanish society.
The possibility of regularization represents, for many, not only a pathway to obtain basic rights but also an opportunity to fully integrate into Spanish society.
Negotiations and political tensions
The processing of the new legislative text is not without tensions among the different parliamentary groups. From Sumar, their spokesperson Verónica Martínez Barbero positively assessed the shift in direction of the PSOE, but warned that her party will propose a more expedited timeline and an extension of the timeframe until the date the regulation comes into effect.
Podemos, for its part, showed less enthusiasm. Its secretary general, Ione Belarra, criticized the Government for not opting for a royal decree, as was done with the regularization carried out by former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in 2005. Additionally, she denied the existence of an ongoing negotiation between her party and the current Executive, which she labeled as a "Government of war."
What comes next?
The proposal will be debated in a presentation in the Lower House, where the parties will need to finalize the details before it moves to committee and, subsequently, to the full Congress.
If approved, it would mark a milestone in Spanish immigration policy by recognizing the rights of a population that has so far been marginalized and providing a legal pathway for hundreds of thousands of people who are already an active part of the country's daily life.
Civil organizations and migrant support groups have announced mobilizations and information campaigns to ensure that the measure does not lose momentum during its parliamentary process. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people—including a large Cuban community—are still waiting for Congress not to turn its back on them this time.
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