The Secretary of State for Immigration and Emigration, Consuelo Rumí, expressed the government’s satisfaction with the text, which is the result of dialogue and was passed with widespread support

The bill detailing the proposed reform of the Law on Foreign Nationals’ Rights and Freedoms and their Social Integration has been passed today at Congreso de los Diputados, with PSOE, CiU, the Canarian Coalition and PNV voting in favour.

The text, approved by a majority in the lower chamber, maintains the priorities included in the government’s plan resulting from parliamentary debate. It reinforces the instruments to enable public administrations promote coexistence and social integration, guarantee foreign nationals’ rights in administrative proceedings and ensure appropriate care for unaccompanied immigrant minors.

The Secretary of State for Immigration and Emigration, Consuelo Rumí, expressed the government’s satisfaction with the amended text that has been passed today, thanks to the government’s “openness to dialogue” and “with widespread support.”

Consuelo Rumí, who described the Law as “modern and integrationist,” added “the text reflects the immigration policy that has been implemented in the last five years.” ”There are no sound reasons for failing to back this Law, which is based on the government’s cooperation with the autonomous regions respecting the powers recognised by the Constitution,” stated the Secretary of State.

With the reform, the Law on Immigration maintains the government’s priorities, since it guarantees the fundamental rights of all immigrants arriving in Spain, in accordance with the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court. Moreover, it provides a set legal channel for immigration, incorporating aspects such as enforcing that employers hiring irregular immigrants assume the cost of repatriating them.

Family regrouping and the fight against illegal immigration

Likewise, the amended Law reinforces the statute on regrouping, since amongst other changes, it includes unmarried couples in the regroupable family nucleus. In addition, it increases efficiency in the fight against irregular immigration by preventing the arrival of clandestine immigration.

The new reform also enables the development of European directives, boosting the competitiveness of our economy, as in the case of the prevision of a residence and work permit for people who are particularly qualified (blue card).

Furthermore, it establishes the development framework for regional powers in respect of work permits, in line with the national immigration policy.
Besides, it has also fully developed the guarantees offered to foreigners in administrative proceedings and in situations where they suffer loss of liberty, maintaining the efficient conditions of the control and repatriation policies.

It has introduced a full regulatory framework for the care of unaccompanied immigrant minors on an equal footing with Spaniards, aimed at public administrations. In this respect, the Law provides for cooperation between public administrations, by means of agreements between the autonomous regions, which allow for the distribution of minors’ guardianship, in line with the capabilities of each government. Therefore, chances of access to residence and employment for minors who have been taken in by Spain are improved.