Huge crowds of migrants gathered on the streets of Barcelona today, forming lengthy queues outside consulates to collect essential paperwork. This follows the Spanish socialist government's landmark announcement that it will grant legal status to approximately half a million undocumented residents currently living in the country.
Consulate Queues and Political Backlash
Hundreds of foreign nationals, predominantly men, were photographed waiting patiently to enter the Pakistani consulate in the Eixample district. They were seeking criminal record certificates, a mandatory document required for the new migrant regularisation programme. The visible scenes of large-scale processing have ignited fierce political debate within Spain and attracted international attention.
Elon Musk and Pedro Sánchez's Social Media Spat
The policy announcement triggered a notable online confrontation between tech billionaire Elon Musk and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Musk, who owns the social media platform X, shared a post by commentator Ian Miles Cheong that labelled the plan 'electoral engineering' and suggested it aimed to create a loyal voting bloc for the left. Musk simply commented 'Wow' on the post, which garnered over 12 million views.
Prime Minister Sánchez directly responded to Musk on X late Thursday, delivering a pointed retort: 'Mars can wait. Humanity can't.' This was a clear reference to Musk's aerospace company SpaceX and its development of the Starship rocket, part of his vision for Martian colonisation.
Details of the Regularisation Programme
Under the new initiative, regularisation will be available to foreign nationals who can prove they have lived in Spain for at least five months prior to December 31, 2025, and who do not possess a criminal record. The measure will grant successful applicants an initial one-year residence permit, which can be extended subsequently. The application window is scheduled to open in April and remain active until the end of June.
Government Justification and Economic Argument
Prime Minister Sánchez has robustly defended the policy, arguing that immigrants are crucial to Spain's economic vitality. He highlighted that Spain's economy expanded by 2.8 percent last year, more than double the average growth expected across the entire eurozone. Facing demographic challenges like an ageing population and a low birth rate, Sánchez contends that immigrants are essential to sustaining the national workforce and supporting the pension system.
'Immigrants represent wealth, development and prosperity for Spain,' Sánchez stated, emphasising their contributions to the country's social security system.
Fierce Domestic Political Opposition
The policy has faced immediate and severe criticism from Spain's main opposition parties. The conservative Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party have both launched strong attacks on the government. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the PP, warned that the initiative would 'increase the pull effect and overwhelm our public services.'
Pepa Millán, spokeswoman for Vox, accused the plan of 'attacking our identity' and pledged that her party would appeal to the Supreme Court in an attempt to block its implementation.
Support from the Left and Policy Mechanics
Conversely, the policy has been celebrated by figures on the left. Elma Saiz, Spain's Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, called the announcement 'a historic day,' stating it reinforces a migratory model 'based on human rights, integration, co-existence and which is compatible with economic growth and social cohesion.'
Irene Montero, from the far-left Podemos party and a former minister, declared that 'providing rights is the answer to racism.' The measure will be approved by royal decree, meaning it bypasses the need for parliamentary approval.
Context of Rising Migration in Spain
This policy arrives amid a significant increase in migration to Spain in recent years, with a large influx predominantly originating from Latin American nations such as Colombia, Peru, and Honduras. According to data from the conservative think-tank Funcas, the number of undocumented migrants in Spain has surged dramatically, rising from 107,409 in 2017 to an estimated 837,938 in 2025—an eight-fold increase.
This new regularisation represents Spain's first large-scale migrant legalisation programme in two decades. Historically, between 1986 and 2005, governments led by both the Socialists and the conservative PP legalised the status of an estimated half a million migrants.
The Spanish move also stands in contrast to a broader anti-immigrant political wave observed in other larger European nations and influential in political campaigns elsewhere, such as Donald Trump's return to the White House race. Despite the controversy, Spain's economic indicators have shown strength, with unemployment—a persistent national issue—dipping below 10 percent for the first time since 2008, outperforming many fellow EU member states.
