Torres on Feijóo's migrant visa proposal: “He hasn't said anything new”

Ángel Víctor Torres, Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, argues that the proposals put forward by the People’s Party (PP) leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo on migration are merely a “stage set” of issues that already exist in the Spanish Penal Code.

“He has said nothing new,” Torres told RNE Canarias, noting that border controls are already carried out through Frontex and that the arraigo (residency) regime is already regulated.

Existing Legal Framework

• Minimum income guarantee: Torres points out that a one‑year residence in Spain is required before a migrant can claim it, and that contributory pensions are also subject to strict regulations.
• Nationality linked to language: He reminds that a regulation already governs this matter.
• Expulsion for serious crimes: This is already codified in current legislation.

Torres adds that Feijóo’s attempt to appear innovative is “nothing more than a façade; what catches my attention are his silences.”

He questions whether Feijóo will repeal the amendment of Article 35 and allow older and minor immigrants to remain in border territories—a move he says is demanded by Vox.

“The answer is yes, because Vox insists on it,” the minister concluded.

Procedures for Migrant Minors in the Canary Islands

• Once a migration contingency is declared in an autonomous community, the distribution process for arriving minors will be “express.” The file must be completed within 15 days (with possible extensions to 20 or 25 days), aiming for a rapid resolution.
• For minors already present before the contingency declaration, the procedure is slower, extending until March. Torres reported that 300 complete files out of the 5,000 submitted to the Delegation of Government have been processed.

“Now we can debate whether the process should be faster or slower, but the decision has already been made by the Spanish Government,” Torres said.

Anti‑Immigration Message

Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo also weighed in on the PP’s proposals, warning against the spread of anti‑immigration rhetoric. He described such messaging as stigmatizing and potentially harmful to public perception.

• Cuerpo stresses the need to avoid false economic arguments and to remain responsible.
• He highlights that immigration contributes positively to economic growth, even at the per‑capita level, and calls for enhancing this contribution by aligning immigrant skills with business needs.
• The minister underscores the importance of modernizing the economy, upskilling young people, and strengthening the labour force through immigration.

“The messages from the PP are not innocuous; they affect how the population perceives policies that aim to improve integration and adaptation of immigration,” Cuerpo warned.