New immigration reform worries advocates of mass regularisation

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immigration reform

The government’s new immigration reform, which is almost ready, has raised concerns among those backing a proposal for a large-scale regularisation of immigrants. While the new rules would make regularisation easier, advocates worry it could weaken their push for more thorough reforms.

The Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) aims to regularise hundreds of thousands of immigrants in Spain. Jorge Serrano, from the party “Por un Mundo más Justo,” pointed out the tension between the government’s reform and the ILP. He said, “The reform helps with an overwhelmed system, but it doesn’t fix the deeper issues caused by that system.”

Key changes and concerns from the ILP

The new law introduces changes to make getting residency and work permits easier. One big change is reducing the time immigrants need to apply for regularisation, from three years to two. It also includes a “second chance” option for people who had a residency permit in the past but couldn’t renew it.

Though these changes are seen as positive, ILP supporters argue they aren’t enough. They believe that while the reform helps, it cannot replace a full-scale regularisation that could benefit around 400,000 people.

Cogesa Expats

Victoria Columba, spokesperson for “Regularización Ya,” expressed her frustration. She said the new reform ignores the grassroots nature of the ILP: “This initiative came from a movement that gathered over 700,000 signatures. Political parties with fewer supporters are now pushing a reform that wasn’t discussed with us.”

Deeper system issues

Many ILP supporters feel the new reform doesn’t fix the bigger problems in the immigration system. Gonzalo Fanjul, from the Porcausa foundation, said that even if residency rules are made easier, the system still forces people into irregular situations. “The narrow path to legal entry is the real problem,” he said.

Fanjul and others believe that the new reform doesn’t address the root issue in Spain’s immigration system, which leaves vulnerable groups like domestic workers and street vendors at risk. They remain committed to pushing for a mass regularisation to ease the strain on the system and tackle long-term problems.

Also read: More than fifty thousand immigrants reached Spain in 2023

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