Valencia passes 'priority national' law excluding irregular migrants from social assistance

The Valencian regional council approved an amendment to the 2026 budget that enshrines a "priority national" principle, barring people in irregular immigration status from structural social benefits. The change raises the residence requirement for the Renta Valenciana de Inclusión from 15 months to three consecutive years (or ten years within the past thirty), and limits aid to urgent medical care only.

Opposition parties PSPV and Compromís have warned the Spanish government of constitutional challenges, calling the measure "institutionalized discrimination" and "racist". The regional president denied any discrimination. Social organizations, including CEAR, Joves Sòlides, and the Jesuit Migrant Service, say irregular migrants already have limited access to benefits such as the Minimum Vital Income and the Renta Valenciana de Inclusión, labeling the political claim as a "myth" that fuels prejudice.

The debate highlights tensions between the governing PP‑Vox coalition and civil society over immigration policy and the allocation of public resources in the Valencian Community.