Spain’s migrant crisis sparks national debate on illegal immigration
- In Reports
- 10:14 PM, Aug 31, 2024
- Myind Staff
A surge in migrant arrivals from Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands has sparked a heated national debate on how to address illegal immigration.
The issue came to the forefront during Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s three-day visit to West Africa, which concluded on Thursday.
The visit aimed to address the record influx of unauthorised migrants arriving in the Atlantic archipelago in pursuit of a better life in Europe.
Upon arriving in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on Tuesday, the Socialist premier emphasised, “Spain is committed to safe, orderly, and regular migration.” This marked the first stop of his tour, which also included visits to Gambia and Senegal.
He advocated for "circular migration” programs that would permit individuals to enter Spain legally for temporary work in sectors such as agriculture, which experiences labour shortages during harvest periods, before returning to their home countries.
“Immigration is not a problem, it is a necessity that comes with certain problems,” Sanchez said.
His comments were quickly criticised by Spain’s main opposition, the Popular Party, which argued that such statements could incentivise more migrants to attempt illegal entry into the country amid the Canary Islands’ ongoing struggle to manage the influx. Nearly every day, Spain’s coastguard rescues boats carrying dozens of African migrants heading towards the seven-island archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa.
This year, over 22,000 migrants have arrived in the Canary Islands, nearly double the just under 10,000 who arrived during the same period last year. The archipelago, which saw a record 39,910 migrants in 2023, is on pace to exceed that figure in 2024.
“It is irresponsible to encourage a pull effect during the worst irregular migration crisis,” said PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, accusing Sanchez of using his trip to Africa to "promote Spain as a destination” for migrants.
He added that this approach is “the opposite” of what other European Union nations are implementing. During the final stop of Sanchez’s tour in Dakar, Senegal, he adopted a firmer stance, highlighting that human trafficking rings orchestrating boat crossings to Spain often have connections to terrorist networks or drug smuggling gangs.
He stated that security is a “top priority” and emphasised the “essential” need to deport those who have entered Spain illegally. However, deportations require the cooperation of the migrants' countries of origin, which can be challenging to obtain.
Cristina Monge, a political scientist at the University of Zaragoza, observed that while Sanchez attempted to balance his comments on the migration issue in Africa, his message appeared "a bit contradictory."
Monge noted that Sanchez’s initial speech in Mauritania reflected a “European, human rights perspective,” but his subsequent focus on deportations resulted in a loss of support on the left while gaining traction on the right. She told AFP that while the People’s Party (PP) welcomed Sanchez’s sudden emphasis on security, the hard-left party Sumar, the junior coalition partner in his minority government, immediately opposed it.
"Following the same migration recipes called for by the right is a failure and a mistake," Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz, who founded Sumar, wrote on X.
As Atlantic waters calm and crossing attempts are anticipated to rise in the coming weeks, the controversy is likely to escalate. This is especially true as the PP has adopted a tougher stance on immigration in recent years, partly in response to the growing influence of the far-right party Vox, which is staunchly anti-immigration.
Image source: AFP
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