What does the preamble to the immigration law that Podemos calls "racist" say?

BarcelonaPodemos has been belligerent from the first minute with the agreement between the PSOE and Junts for the Generalitat to assume powers in matters of immigration. Among other things, the general secretary of Podemos, Ione Belarra, described the agreement as "racist" and cites the explanatory statement of the proposal as proof, as some other politicians have also begun to do. voices of Sumar.Podemos sources add that they are bothered by the mentions of the "risk of coexistence and social cohesion", the "idea of integrating and protecting the cohesion of Catalan society" and that the law speaks of the "increase in fundamentalism", Andrea Zamorano reportsNow, what exactly does the preamble say?

"Regular, orderly migration that puts human rights at the centre"

The text negotiated between the Socialists and Junts begins by stating that the "migratory phenomenon has a full impact on European societies and entails changes and transformations for which governments must be prepared and must face them responsibly." And it goes on to state that now this phenomenon has "intensified" despite the fact that it has been constant throughout history: "The low birth rate recorded by the most developed societies and an increase in birth rates in regions devastated by the effects of the crisis and the lack of freedoms make the European Union a necessary and attractive space for immigration at the same time." They affirm that the "benefit" of immigrants in "cultural, social and economic terms" is "undoubted," in addition to providing an "indispensable workforce" for economic sectors that are not sufficiently covered. And they are committed to a model of "regular, orderly and safe migration, which puts human rights at the centre."

"The risk to coexistence"

Likewise, it is said that beyond the increase in public income derived from the work income of migrants, there is also an increase in "needs" in the fields of education, health, social services, infrastructure, housing or the use of public spaces. "The responsibility of governments is not only to attend to social cohesion," declare Junts and the PSOE in the explanatory statement. A risk, they add, that is "fueled by misinformation and lies" and that "takes advantage of radical ideologies of different kinds that seek to erode European values." "A radicalism that ranges from xenophobia and racism to racism to act and act without complexes," they say.

The differential of Catalonia and the "impact" on Catalan

After explaining the phenomenon, they specify that the levels of immigration in Spain are different in each autonomous community and that Catalonia is one of those that has received the most. They recall that the number of inhabitants has gone from six million to eight in just a few decades, that 17% of the population is of foreign nationality and that the figure rises to 22.4% if the place of birth is taken into account. In this regard, Junts and the PSOE argue that this has an "impact" on the Catalan language, defined as its own language in the Statute. "In this context, given the increase in the multifaceted nature of the migratory phenomenon, it is necessary to bring the management of this phenomenon closer to the closest administrations, such as the Generalitat de Catalunya or local entities," they argue.

After mentioning that the Statute gives exclusive powers to Catalonia in matters of initial reception and integration, it highlights that the "vocation of Catalan society to manage the migratory phenomenon itself comes from afar", mentioning government agreements of the Generalitat in 1992, the creation of the Secretariat of Immigration and its descendants two years later. For all this, they assure that there are "all the conditions" for the powers to be delegated to the Generalitat: "The specific reality of the situation of the migratory phenomenon in Catalonia; the vocation of the institutions and the years of experience of the administration of the Generalitat; and a pre-existing legislative framework on which the delegation of powers can be developed."

"Rights and duties"

The model that reflects Catalan management, they say, is "based on inclusive rights, but also clear duties, both for the people who arrive and for the Catalan society that welcomes them." "It is very important that this framework of rights and duties also creates a civic framework that goes beyond language and culture, and that integrates a series of values linked to coexistence, work, effort, education and gender equality," they conclude.