Spain to legalize up to 500,000 undocumented migrants, drawing EU criticism

The Spanish left‑wing government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced plans to regularise up to half a million undocumented residents. The scheme would grant them permanent residence permits and unrestricted travel throughout the Schengen area. Officials said the immigration offices could handle as many as one million applications between April and June.

The proposal has provoked strong opposition from Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who warned that Spain’s mass legalisation could affect neighboring countries and the integrity of the Schengen zone. The debate has intensified alongside the EU’s recent adoption of a return‑migration regulation that allows the creation of external removal centres.

EU diplomats note that the discussion was triggered after Denmark’s leadership praised the new EU law, further highlighting divisions within the bloc over migration policy.