Internal police estimates have found that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s amnesty scheme for illegal migrants could see more than double the number of people granted residency than the Socialist-led coalition government has told the public.
A risk analysis paper produced by Spain’s National Immigration and Borders Centre ( CNIF ) in conjunction with the General Immigration and Borders Commissariat of the National Police has warned that up to 1.35 million illegal migrants may be granted residency under amnesty plans announced by Madrid last month.
This comes in contrast to public proclamations from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who wrote in the New York Times that the scheme would see around 500,000 illegals granted amnesty.
The CNIF report, published by the El Confidencial news website, predicted that between 750,000 and one million illegals currently present in Spain could receive residence permits under the plan, while a further 250,000 to 350,000 asylum seekers could also attempt to gain residency.
It comes on top of warnings that the amnesty plan could act as a “pull factor” for more prospective illegals. Concerns have also been raised that illegals living in other EU nations may seek to gain a Spanish residence permit, which would allow them to remain in their country of choice in the internal open borders Schengen zone.
The CNIF further warned that, on top of the residence permits handed out, the amnesty could increase overall immigration to the country due to an “international perception of Spain as a more permissive country with irregular immigration,” noting that the amnesty plan has already seen a “very intense media impact, especially in Latin America.”
The move by the Socialist prime minsiter comes despite widespread public opposition to the amnesty plan, with a survey last week from pollster SocioMétrica finding that nearly seven in ten Spaniards are opposed to granting illegals residence permits.
Opposition is fiercest among the youngest cohort of voters, who will face the most significant ramifications, including lower wages and higher housing costs. According to the poll, over 89 per cent of Spaniards between 17 and 35 are opposed to the plan.
However, the left is apparently unconcerned by the backlash, with the radical Podemos party hailing the “replacement” of native conservatives with foreign migrants, while vowing to fight for migrants to be given the right to vote in federal elections regardless of citizenship.
Podemos MEP said: “I wish for replacement theory, I wish we could sweep this country of fascists and racists with migrants, with working people… Of course, I want there to be replacement: replacement of fascists, replacement of racists, replacement of freeloaders, and that we can do it with working people, whatever their skin colour may be.”
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