By SCM REPORTER
SPANISH PM Pedro Sánchez has sparked a border row after announcing a massive plan to legalize 600,000 undocumented migrants.
The left-wing leader says the three-year “amnesty” will help the country’s economy—but top cops have warned the real number of people getting residency could explode to a staggering 1.3 MILLION.
Under the controversial new decree, hundreds of thousands of people currently living in the shadows will be handed work permits and residency papers.
Sánchez claims the move is an “investment in dignity” to fill labor shortages in the sun-drenched nation. But a leaked report from the National Centre for Immigration and Borders (CNIF) has sent shockwaves through the EU.
Police sources fear the new rules will act as a “magnet” for more arrivals, warning that the government has “wildly underestimated” how many people will come forward.
Internal documents suggest that once asylum seekers and families are included, the true figure will be DOUBLE the government’s public target.
Critics say the move flies in the face of tougher border stances being taken by other European neighbors.
One source said: “This isn’t just a reform; it’s a giant neon sign saying ‘Come to Spain.’ It’s going to create a massive pull factor that we simply aren’t ready for.”
The applications are set to open this April, with the government aiming to hand out 300,000 permits a year through 2027.
To give this story depth, here is the essential background information regarding the Spanish migration policy:
The Policy: The Spanish government, led by the PSOE-Sumar coalition, recently approved a reform of the Aliens Act (Ley de Extranjería).
This “Royal Decree” simplifies the process for undocumented migrants to obtain residence and work permits.
The “Why”: Spain has an aging population and a shrinking workforce.
The Ministry of Inclusion and Migration argues that the country needs roughly 250,000 to 300,000 foreign workers per year to sustain its welfare state and pension system.
The Police Warning: The 1.3 million figure comes from a leaked internal risk analysis by the Spanish National Police.
They argue that the decree allows anyone who applied for asylum before December 31, 2025, to “switch tracks” to residency, which could include a massive backlog of applicants not counted in the PM’s initial 600,000 estimate.
The “Pull Factor”: Law enforcement is concerned that the move will trigger “secondary movements”—migrants already in other EU countries moving to Spain to take advantage of the amnesty—and increase dangerous sea crossings from North Africa.
