The debate on immigration skills in Catalonia
The Catalan government and the PSOE have reached an agreement on a possible transfer of competences in immigration to Catalonia. This agreement has reopened the debate on a complex and sensitive issue in Catalan politics.
Currently, Catalonia already has powers transferred in matters of reception and integration, as well as the executive power to issue the first work authorization. However, experts in constitutional law and social organizations claim that Catalonia is suspended in migration policy and that it has acted on the fly, without a clear vision of the future.
The social entities are asking for a fundamental rethinking with clearly anti-racist policies and a National Pact for Interculturality to address pluralism and the integration of migrant people.
Current competencies and possible extensions
According to article 149 of the Constitution, immigration is an exclusive competence of the Spanish State. However, this exclusivity does not prevent other attributions related to immigration from being transferred or shared by the autonomous communities.
The experts consider that the management of borders and other aspects related to the control of migratory flows must be state competence, since the border is what defines the State. However, they see a viable extension of competences in areas such as reception, integration, work management and coordination with other areas.
Challenges and criticisms of migration policy
Social organizations and migration experts point to various challenges and problems in current migration policy. Among these are the lack of vision for the future, school segregation, difficulties in accessing housing and the world of work, as well as discrimination and restrictive bureaucratic procedures.
It is also alerted to the securitization of migration discourse and the link between immigration and fear and insecurity. It insists on the need for a deeper analysis that relates this discourse to the weakening of the welfare state and calls for a more realistic and demographic approach to migration policies.
The European Pact on Migration and Asylum
The recently approved European Pact on Migration and Asylum has generated criticism from various organizations and experts. It is claimed that this pact applies restrictive measures and does not counter the discourse of the extreme right. A broader approach is called for that does not only focus on irregular entries by sea and that values immigration from a demographic perspective and coexistence and reception policies.
From the government of the Generalitat, prudence is expressed in relation to the pact and concern is expressed about the possible laxity in the guarantee of rights and the commercialization of immigration.