Most Catalans defend restricting immigrant access but guaranteeing equal rights

BarcelonaStricter barriers to enter the country, but equal rights for people who regularize their situation. The watermelon theory, which advocates for exhaustive border controls but more inclusive rights for residents, seems to perfectly fit the opinion of the majority of Catalans. This is reflected in the ARA survey, conducted by YouGov, which is published this weekend. 66% of respondents are in favor of making the conditions for entering and settling in Catalonia (and, by default, in Spain, which has the powers in immigration) more restrictive, a percentage much higher than those who believe they should remain as they are (17%) or should be even more permissive (9%).

Within the survey, the results are inverted: 67% believe that immigrants who have been able to regularize their situation should have the same rights as local citizens. However, 30% advocate for the principle of national priority: that immigrants should have more restricted rights. This principle, popularized by the regional agreements between PP and Vox and which is one of the banners of the far-right, is the majority view among Aliança Catalana voters: 47% believe that the rights of immigrants in a regular situation should be limited, and 5% believe that these immigrants should not have any rights recognized.

Putting a brake on immigration is precisely one of the main battlegrounds of the party led by Silvia Orriols, who tends to link crime and immigration, especially in reference to the Moroccan community. Curiously, Vox voters are more divided, with 55% believing that immigrants should have the same rights as locals if they have their papers in order (45% advocate for limiting or withdrawing their rights, as do 47% of PP voters). In any case, the fact that it is a thorny issue is demonstrated by the fact that between 20% and 30% of voters from other parties — with the exception of Comuns — also believe that the rights of newcomers should be limited, even if they are in a legal situation. One of the proposals on the table is to grant rights in phases, for example, when a certain degree of roots is demonstrated, which is included in both the PP-Vox pacts and Junts' immigration plan, which, for the moment, has not gone beyond the draft stage.

Misgivings about the extraordinary regularization

Until June 30, there is time for individuals in an irregular situation who have been residing in the State for at least six months and have no criminal record to complete the procedures to benefit from the extraordinary regularization promoted by the Spanish government. For days, there have been long queues at the offices responsible for this, and the state executive has calculated that around 500,000 people will be able to benefit. Various political parties have raised objections, starting with PP and Vox, but Junts also does not see it clearly. The ARA survey detects reservations among Catalans: 42% position themselves against the regularization process; 31% are in favor, and 27% are neither for nor against.

The survey also asks about opinions regarding illegal immigration. 64% of Catalans believe that the possibility of regularizing their situation should be given, provided that a series of requirements are met, such as the absence of a criminal record – an obligation already included in the process initiated in the State – having a job or dependents. 9% believe that everyone should be able to obtain papers regardless of their situation; but 27% support more restrictive positions: 9% are against any type of regularization, and 18% believe that all immigrants in an irregular situation should be expelled from the country.

Immigration competencies

Another of the political debates that has made headlines in the last two years is the delegation of immigration powers to the Generalitat. Junts agreed to it with the PSOE and Sumar, but Podemos has blocked the initiative in Congress arguing that with these powers, "the Mossos would carry out racist raids" and, for the moment, has not made a move. A large majority of Catalans (71%) look favorably on Catalonia assuming immigration powers and only 18% oppose it.

The immigration chapter is the first we offer you from the ARA survey and during the weekend you will have two more installments. In Sunday's newspaper you can read, for example, how the Parliament would look if elections were held today or who are the most valued politicians to become presidents of the Government. On Monday we will analyze the opinion that sanitary cordons generate towards the far-right and we will show you the differences that exist when Catalans are asked about either Vox or Catalan Alliance.