The Government is now committed to the extraordinary regularization of hundreds of thousands of immigrants | Spain

What yesterday was an unnecessary measure that the European Union would not allow, today is an inevitable exit. Immigrant regularization « Stancing in Congress for more than a year, » it was never a commitment to the government’s socialist sector, but in recent weeks it has won unexpected force. Now hurry. The Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) to regularize some 400,000 foreigners is now raised, as confirmed to El País several government and parliamentary sources, such as the ideal way to correct the holes left by the new Foreigner Regulation, which can push thousands of people to irregularity.

Extraordinary regularization began to be processed in Congress in April last year. After the collection of 600,000 signatures and with the support of 900 social organizations, the initiative achieved the green light of all parliamentary groups, except Vox. Neither the PP nor the PSOE were very supportive of the measure, but The first ones were pressed by the Episcopal Conference The latter their government partners. None were well in the photo preventing its parliamentary procedure. Thus, the PSOE opened to the debate, opted for it to be processed, but its position was based on the fact that the reform of the Foreigner Regulation, which was being prepared at that time, was the true structural solution to resolve the situation of foreigners in an irregular situation. Not even the Minister of Migration, Elma Saiz, wanted to compromise the support of her party. In an interview with El País held in NovemberSaiz avoided four times responding to whether the PSOE would support regularization if voted in Congress.

With many discrepancies between the groupsthe negotiations have been advancing, but very slowly. Until today, that several socialist ministers (justice, hacienda and, now, migrations) have set foot in the accelerator.

Why now the PSOE bets on a measure that never finished like it? Part of the answer is in La Moncloa. Two different sources explain that Pedro Sánchez has shown special interest in measures related to foreigners. Considers them priority. Not only for getting a significant number of people from irregularity, but because the calls for productive sectors complaining about lack of labor, these sources affirm.

A Google search confirms it. In an informative talk of April 1, the Ministry of State for Migration, Pilar Cancela, revealed that Sanchez encouraged to accelerate the approval of the new Foreigner Regulationthat will come into force on Tuesday. « We did not do it with the time we would have liked, because there was a time when a political decision that emanates from the government’s own president tells us that it is a priority and that it has to be as soon as possible, » Cancela said. And, according to the sources consulted, there have been other presidential interventions that have not transcended. Among them, the one that has caused this PSOE turn. Sanchez encouraged to apply to the entire territory lto regularization of the 23,000 immigrants affected by the DANA.

The president’s will suddenly became the ideal mechanism to amend the failures left by the regulation, a text that eliminates obstacles, but that opened cracks that will harm thousands of people. The text, appealed by several organizations before the Supreme, will enter into force on May 20 and there is little room to improve it by conventional roads.

The new standard lightens the procedures in many cases and facilitates obtaining permits, but will harm thousands of asylum applicants that will end without papers and will have to leave their jobs To immerse yourself in hiding. Currently, there are more than 275,000 people who claimed that their life is at risk If they returned to their countries and await an answer to their asylum application in Spain. The majority will be denied their requests for not meeting the requirements, but so far, that negative was not such a serious problem. After years living and working in Spain, they achieved with some ease an authorization of residence and work for roots. Until the regulation has complicated this route. As of Tuesday, they will be forced to spend between six months and two years in irregularity to obtain their papers.

The text too imposes new barriers to young migrants guardians that they will see how the requirements to achieve their residence and work authorizations are hardening. The case of this group is paradigmatic because one of the latest changes in these regulations was precisely to facilitate the procedures, with results that the Minister of Migrations has celebrated.

The ILP, depending on how it is written, can act as broom car and rescue all those who stay out of the formal channels. « We have a problem if it does not come out, » recognizes socialist sources. « And it should be before summer. Then, everything (in reference to the political and parliamentary agenda) will be complicated. » It is a risky bet, taking into account the climate of rejection against immigrants that has been imposed in the world and the EU ears pull is not ruled out, but its own popular nature serves as a shield, government sources stand out. « It is a measure that emanates from Parliament, not from the government. »

The Runrún is already installed in the different political groups and in the organizations that promoted this initiative. According to two deputies involved in the negotiation, the Government has raised a new text whose writing aspires to include as many beneficiaries as possible to put the accountant to zero. The text is being negotiated first with Podemos – which can hardly reject it despite being on a war foot against the Executive – but it is a matter of time that reaches the rest of the groups. One of the keys from then on will then be what the PP does and how much the bishops squeeze.