Pedro Sanchez defends migrants in a column for New York Times

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote a column for The New York Times, in which he explained why his government decided to legalise thousands of migrants living in Spain without documents, and why Western countries need migrants.

Sánchez pointed out that around 500,000 people are living in Spain who ‘play a crucial role in everyone's daily life.’ These people care for the elderly, work in companies and harvest crops.

They are also part of your community. On weekends, they walk in parks, go to restaurants, and play on the local amateur football team.
 

The Prime Minister notes that these individuals have no documents, which means they cannot access higher education, pay taxes, or contribute to the social security system. "What should we do with these people? Some leaders have decided to persecute and deport them through illegal and brutal operations. My government has chosen a different path: a quick and easy way to legalise their immigration status".

In January, the Spanish authorities announced that migrants who had been living in Spain before 31 December 2025 could apply for a residence permit valid for one year, with the possibility of renewal. Sánchez emphasises that there are two reasons for this decision: moral and pragmatic.

From a moral point of view, Spain itself was a country of emigrants for a long time. In the 1950s and 1960s, and then after the 2008 crisis, millions of Spaniards left for America and other European countries in search of a better life. Now that Spain's economy is growing, foreigners are coming to the country.

‘It is our duty to become the welcoming and tolerant society that our relatives hoped to find on the other side of the border,’ writes Sánchez.

The second reason is demographics and economics. The Prime Minister notes that ‘few Western countries are experiencing population growth’ and without migrants, most Western countries face ‘a sharp demographic decline that will prevent them from keeping their economies and public services afloat.’ This will lead to stagnant GDP and a crisis in healthcare and pension systems.

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Neither artificial intelligence nor robots will be able to prevent this, at least in the short to medium term. The only way to avoid a downturn is to integrate migrants in the most orderly and effective way possible.
Pedro Sánchez

Sánchez acknowledges that migration also poses enormous problems, but most of them have nothing to do with the ethnicity, religion or language of migrants. The real causes, he says, are poverty, inequality, lack of access to education and healthcare, and unregulated markets. It is these problems that the state must tackle, according to Sánchez.

The prime minister also noted that the Spanish initiative to legalise migrants has received widespread public support. It began as a civil campaign backed by more than 900 non-governmental organisations, including the Catholic Church, as well as business associations and trade unions. According to polls, almost two-thirds of Spaniards consider migration an opportunity or a necessity for the country.

Responding to statements by right-wing and far-right politicians that Spain cannot cope with such a large number of migrants, Sánchez stressed that the country is thriving and has had the highest economic growth rate among Europe's largest economies for three years.

In conclusion, the prime minister outlined the choice that, in his opinion, Western countries face today: to close themselves off and become poorer, or to remain open and develop. Sánchez added that this is not only about material gain, but also about ‘spiritual development.’

‘For me, the choice is obvious. And for the sake of our prosperity and human dignity, I hope that many others will follow my example,’ the Prime Minister concluded.