Article by Viory
Confusion and chaos gripped Barcelona on Monday as thousands of undocumented migrants swarmed city council offices, marking a turbulent first day for Spain’s historic mass regularisation programme.
Footage shows long queues of people outside city council offices, with some civic servants speaking to those in line.
“Today I came in the morning at 7, and now I am waiting. When I came here, I saw a long line of people,” Imon, a migrant from Bangladesh, said.
“The decision of the Spanish government is very helpful […] we are very grateful for taking this decision for immigrants like us,” he continued.
However, the first day was marred by confusion over the new ‘social vulnerability’ certificates as some applicants reported a lack of clear information from staff on the ground.
“The process, to be honest, is not clear yet,” Muhammad, an immigrant from Algeria, explained. “When we came here, they told us that they don’t have information yet, so you have to scan the barcode and put your details there and wait.”
Another applicant, Cambrur, expressed frustration over the bureaucracy, saying, “I want the vulnerability certificate, but they are not giving it to me now.”
“I also want to show them [a sample] to ask if this is the certificate or not because there are some NGOs that are giving it,” he continued.
Residents assisting the applicants noted that while civic agents were present to guide the crowds, the legal requirements remain complex.
“At the bureaucratic level, it is quite simple because there are specific documents they ask you for […] but you have to get informed, and we have also had to ask lawyers,” Arnau, a resident, said.
The massive regularisation process was triggered by a reform of the Aliens Act, approved by the Spanish government led by the left-wing coalition. The executive branch justified the move as a way to address chronic labour shortages in key sectors such as agriculture, hospitality, and caregiving.
According to government estimates, the reform could regularise around 300,000 people per year over the next three years. The state aims to increase tax revenue and social security contributions, arguing that an undocumented population is an economic loss. However, the policy has sparked a heated national debate and criticism.
Article by Viory
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