Walter Finch
SPAIN is set to regularise the status of approximately 500,000 undocumented migrants currently living and working within its borders.
The proposed legislation, originally supported by over 600,000 signatures from members of the public, could provide long-awaited rights to these individuals, many of whom have been in the country for years.
Vice President Yolanda Díaz, one of the leading figures of the Sumar coalition, announced the breakthrough on social media.
She tweeted: “Half a million people are closer to gaining rights. Half a million people who live and work in our country, who are our neighbours. We mustn’t waste another minute. Against racism, for rights.”
The legislation calls for undocumented migrants who were already living in Spain before November 1, 2021, to be given residency.
Proponents have argued that their contributions to society are invaluable and that their rights have been consistently violated over the years spent navigating Spain’s restrictive immigration policies.
Many of these workers, who play an integral part of Spanish society, have found themselves in a precarious legal situation, working cash in hand in the black market.
The move is seen as a significant departure from previous policies and aligns with Spain’s growing recognition of the importance of migrant labour, especially in sectors such as agriculture and care work.
Senegalese immigrant Lamine Sarr, spokesperson for the movement pushing for the regularisation, has highlighted the systemic discrimination many face.
He noted that the current immigration laws make it virtually impossible for undocumented families, many of whom have lived in Spain for years, to access basic rights like healthcare and education.
“We are trapped in a perverse system that forces us to live in extreme precarity,” Sarr said.
He also noted the case of children born in Spain who, due to their parents’ immigration status, inherit their legal limbo.
Among the 500,000 individuals who could benefit from this law are agricultural workers, sex workers, and seasonal labourers, all of whom remain outside the formal economy and are unable to fully contribute to society without legal status.
The origins of this legislative proposal trace back two years to the RegularizacionYa movement, a grassroots coalition of migrants and anti-racism organisations from across Spain.
Their campaign succeeded in collecting over 700,000 signatures, significantly surpassing the 500,000 needed to bring the proposal before Parliament.
