Delays at police stations and Social Security, main obstacles to the regularization of migrants
Foreigners favorably resolves more than 42,000 rooting applications that it had pending, outside the extraordinary process
BarcelonaFinal stretch of the extraordinary regularization process that should allow thousands of migrants living and working in Spain (in the underground economy) to obtain the residence permit that will allow them to end a life without rights. After a turbulent start more than two months ago, in which misinformation and lack of resources led to long queues of applicants to receive the necessary documentation for the procedures, the process will close on June 30. So far, more than 900,000 applications have been submitted, almost double the 500,000 foreseen by the Spanish government.
With seven working days left before this extraordinary window closes, problems are mounting due to the administration's collapse in providing appointments to continue with the process. "These remaining days will be a challenge for many people who have not received their original documentation or cannot afford the fees for sworn translations," points out Mohamed Aït abou Moujane, a member of the board of directors of Ecas (the federation of social action entities) and spokesperson for immigration issues. Due to these and other problems, the Taula del Tercer Sector has urged Pedro Sánchez's executive to extend the process by 15 more days, but for now, there will be no extension. "Many people will be left out of the process because they won't make it," he insists.
The entities that have been authorized to advise and process documentation point out that one of the major problems is that the extraordinary process has contributed to further straining the already very saturated National Police stations, which are experiencing delays in issuing the provisional identity document, the TIE, for migrants who are already regularized and can already work. Due to this collapse, many people are paying between 400 and 500 euros to get an appointment through lawyers or websites that profit from the promise of securing an appointment.
According to the entities, among the incidents are the notifications outside the 15-day deadline established by the regulation for the processing of files. Or even the fact that they are not notified. This has caused in some cases the Social Security number to arrive, which proves they are fit to work, but not the notification of admission to processing. But, in addition, it is noted that employers still show high resistance to hiring those who already have provisional approval. "Entities must be creative regarding Social Security and conveying legal certainty," they indicate.
Applicants run into the bureaucratic wall of their own countries of origin. Countries like Algeria are not responding to requests for criminal records, or in other cases they are being sent with great delay. This documentation is essential for regularization. And although the registration is not mandatory documentation according to the regulation approved by the Spanish government, it is documentation that causes headaches, especially among the population that does not have a fixed address or lives in an apartment where they cannot register. Then, the resolution of the files is sent to the headquarters of the administrations (social services, town halls, etc.) and they do not always reach their destination.
"Cohesionar el país"
What will happen to people who cannot regularize their administrative situation? The Spanish government estimated that around 20% of applications would be rejected, but it is also true that it fell short with the calculations of 500,000 regularized individuals, as so far there have been almost a million applicants, meaning almost double. Be that as it may, the spokesperson for Ecas states that the refusal will not stop the fight to grant rights, and points out that the next step is to safeguard the Catalan reception model, which places the sense of belonging and the Catalan language at the center. "We must accompany them, but this does not mean supporting them, but rather being by their side and offering them opportunities to identify with Catalan and have personal advancement," states Aït abou Moujane, who is convinced that only in this way will it be possible to "cohesively unite the country from diversity".
In the absence of data from the extraordinary process, the delegate of the Spanish government in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto, has defended the shock plan launched in the immigration offices to clear pending applications for ordinary rootedness. For the moment, in Catalonia, almost the entire practice of the 47,000 applications submitted has already been resolved, of which 42,545 have been positive resolutions, meaning these are people who have been able to regularize their situation, according to Prieto, who indicated that the extraordinary regularization brings "order, realism, and responsibility" against xenophobic and anti-immigration positions. Of these regularizations, 11% (5,239) correspond to minors.