Once the legislative text for the mass regularisation of the status of immigrants in Spain is definitively approved, the Balearic Government has signalled its intention to mount an appeal against this in the courts.
The Spanish Government's delegation in the Balearics estimates that this regularisation could apply to 10,800 immigrants on the islands. The final number could be higher, as the estimate is based on cases currently being processed.
Under proposals announced by the Pedro Sánchez government, immigrants who can prove a minimum of five months of residence in Spain before December 31, 2025, or who have applied for international protection, will be eligible, provided they have no criminal record. This authorisation will allow them to obtain a work permit. After one year, applicants will be subject to the standard immigration process.
"The Balearic Islands will use all available means to reject the extraordinary regularisation announced by the Spanish Government," insists the Prohens administration, echoing the statements of the national leader of the Partido Popular, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who on Thursday anticipated a likely legal challenge. Vox have said they will go to court to request the immediate suspension of the measure.
President Prohens said on Thursday: "Residency cannot be given away or used as an excuse for short-term partisan politics." In her view, the policy is "opportunistic" in order to cover up the "chaos" on the railways.
There have been similar regularisation processes in the past, but Prohens believes this one will be implemented in a way "never seen before". She described as "false and dangerous" the narrative that all immigrants are "bad", calling for a model of "regular immigration" linked to employment contracts. "The message now being sent is that no information will be requested."
The regional government knows, however, that the feasibility of it mounting a legal challenge is open to question. As the regularisation would be state jurisdiction, the scope for the Balearics and any other regional government would be limited.
The measure has meanwhile attracted support from charitable and other social organisations in the Balearics. Maria Crespí, head of legal services at Càritas Mallorca (the Church's charity), says: "It was a social, moral, economic, and political necessity; it was important for the sake of justice."
Ana Espinosa, regional coordinator of the Cruz Roja (Red Cross) in the Balearics, explains "we will be monitoring the announcement of the specific regularisation procedures and will offer, through our organisation, any support people may need to access this process".
Andreu Grimalt, technical director of the EAPN anti-poverty network in the Balearics, says: "We believe this is good news." He has called on the regional authorities "to allocate the necessary resources to the processing of applications".