Delays and elections in sight: concern grows among migrants waiting to be regularized

BarcelonaThe extraordinary regularization process for immigrants has not ended, but at this time the number of files still pending resolution is unknown. Although the Spanish government's forecast was to complete it this September, the last time the executive provided data was on July 2nd. At that time, it reported 1,174,978 requests, 609,737 admissions for processing – a very important step, because it already allows a first temporary work authorization for the person who requested it – and about 11,000 final resolutions. With the early call for elections and the information vacuum regarding the status of the missing files, worry is growing among many applicants.

Since there is no updated data, nine law firms that have accompanied thousands of applications have compared their numbers. And according to information accessed by Efe, 65.5% of the requests have been admitted for processing, but only 27.94% are definitively resolved, with less than two months left before the end of the legislature.

One of the firms participating in this count is Legalteam, which has accompanied more than 5,000 applicants. The general director, Guillermo Morales, states that "people are very angry" because the Spanish government sold the idea that it would be an agile process and the vast majority have not received their papers definitively. Morales says that resources (especially personnel) are lacking, because the number of requests far exceeded government forecasts. Many lawyers have been demanding a reinforcement of staff for months.

Sources from the Secretary of State for Migration consulted by Efe have declined to provide new data on the processing of requests, but have assured that the Spanish government continues working on the resolution of files and will continue to do so "until all the people who have submitted their application" receive a response.

Apart from the large volume of requests admitted for processing, the delay in definitively resolving the requests affects the day-to-day lives of these people, because many companies do not hire people without the Foreigner Identity Card (TIE), which can only be accessed with the final authorization.

Threat from the right

The spokesperson for Regularización Ya, Vicky Columba, explains that they are "very worried" because after years of struggle this process may remain incomplete due to a lack of coordination between ministries. She believes it is a "disgrace" that once the deadline set by the Spanish government has passed, and less than two months before the elections, there are still so many requests without a response.

If everything continues the same, warn those from the entity driving the process, many people will have to apply for an extension of their permit after a year without having been able to work, which puts them at risk of falling back into irregularity. Thus, Columba says that reaching the elections with their papers in order means having their rights shielded against a possible "onslaught" from the right if it manages to win the elections and enter the government. Otherwise, she laments, they will have been left "the table set" for them to be "eaten".