Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister and Labour Minister, Yolanda Díaz, has made a strong call for the immediate legal regularization of 500,000 immigrants living in Spain. Her statement came after four days of violent clashes between far-right activists and North African migrants in the southern town of Torre Pacheco.
Speaking to public broadcaster TVE on July 16, Díaz called on Spain’s Congress to urgently pass a law to formalize the status of these undocumented migrants. She condemned the violence in Torre Pacheco and placed the blame squarely on the far-right and the conservative People’s Party (PP), accusing them of fueling xenophobic rhetoric.
Díaz criticised PP Secretary Mr. Tellado for describing Vox as a state party, stating that the far-right group stands outside the Spanish Constitution due to its anti-immigrant policies. She urged the PP to stop aligning with Vox and instead protect democratic values by opposing extremist views.
Her remarks come amid growing concern over misinformation being used to stoke fear against migrants. A recent video allegedly linked to the violence in Torre Pacheco was labelled fake, and critics say such material is designed to stir up anti-immigrant sentiment.
Despite the unrest, official data paints a different picture of the town. Torre Pacheco, located about 30km from Murcia, has a population that is 30% foreign-born. Over the last five years, the average income has grown from €23,000 to €30,000, while unemployment has dropped significantly from 13.4% to 7.1%.
These statistics, confirmed by Cadena Sur radio and the regional government’s website, contradict the claims of rising insecurity blamed on migrants. Though there was a small rise in violent crimes like attempted homicide and sexual offences, theft and robbery rates have declined, according to Spain’s interior ministry.
Díaz stressed that migrants are not a threat but rather contributors to Spain’s economic and social development. She encouraged lawmakers to support their regularization and counter the false narratives spread by far-right groups.