Spain to Regularise Half a Million Undocumented Migrants Amid Anti-Migration Policies in Europe

In a move running counter to the prevailing anti-migration policies across Europe, Spain’s socialist-led coalition government has approved a decree to regularise 500,000 undocumented migrants and asylum seekers, according to The Guardian. This decision, which is due to come into effect in April, comes as other countries are cracking down on immigration, as reported by the New York Times.

Background and Context

Spain has long been a destination for migrants from Africa and the Middle East, with many risking their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Recently, the UN’s migration agency raised concerns about hundreds of migrants potentially missing or feared dead following multiple shipwrecks in the central Mediterranean, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

Simultaneously, as Al Jazeera English points out, Western powers have been increasingly cracking down on migrants. This includes measures such as accelerated deportations in Germany, as reported by Deutsche Welle, and a surge of immigration enforcement in the U.S., leading to protests and calls for economic blackouts, as per The Guardian.

Key Developments

According to the decree, to qualify for regularization, applicants must prove they do not have a criminal record and had lived in Spain for at least five months before 31 December 2025, as reported by the BBC News. The move is expected to impact hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and people in Spain with irregular statuses.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's decision is based on analyses attributing Spain's good economic health to openness to foreigners, as reported by Le Monde. This stance contrasts with the current restrictive migration policies in Europe and other parts of the world, where a stringent approach to immigration is advocated. For instance, Russia is considering a bill barring foreigners with criminal records from obtaining citizenship, as per TASS.

Reactions and Implications

The Spanish government's move is seen as a testament to Spain's positive stance towards migration, with Madrid pointing to the 'positive impact' of migration. However, it also represents a divergence from the policies of other Western countries, where resistance to immigration has led to initiatives such as a new nationwide database in the U.S., tracking school districts limiting cooperation with ICE, as mentioned by Fox News.

Conclusion

Spain's decision to regularise half a million undocumented migrants is a significant development in the current climate of anti-migration policies across Europe and the world. It remains to be seen how this move will shape the country's future and whether it will influence the migration policies of other nations.