Abascal Calls to Expel 600,000 Illegal Immigrants Annually

Abascal and the 600,000: Is Expelling Illegal Immigrants Viable?
The figure is stark: 600,000 people per year. Santiago Abascal, leader of Vox, proposes deporting all undocumented immigrants from Spain at this pace. The statement has peine a debate pitting those who view illegal immigration as an unsustainable burden against those warning of the logistical and legal impossibility of mass deportation. While some claim that "2 out of 3 immigrants do not contribute," others recall that millions are already naturalized and that the Constitution protects their rights.

Abascal's Proposal: Realistic or Populist?
The idea of expelling 600,000 people annually clashes with current reality: Spain executes fewer than 50,000 deportations per year. Reaching that figure would require multiplying operational capacity by twelve, implying an unprecedented logistical deployment. Supporters argue that illegal immigration drains public services and that many of these foreigners do not contribute to the Social Security system. Critics, however, contend that most immigrants, even irregular ones, work and pay taxes (albeit in the informal economy), and that mass deportation would be economically and socially counterproductive.

The Economic Impact of Illegal Immigration
One of the most repeated claims is that "2 out of 3 immigrants do not contribute." However, this assertion requires nuance: it includes minors, pensioners, and homemakers. The debate contrasts the argument that illegal immigration lowers labor costs and harms national workers, particularly in agriculture, hospitality, and domestic service. Additionally, it is noted that about 50,000 illegal immigrants enter Spain annually (according to official figures), far from the 600,000 Abascal intends to expel. This suggests the stock of irregular individuals may be overstated or includes people with expired stays.

Legal and Practical Obstacles
Several participants note that mass deportation is legally unviable: the Constitution and international treaties protect the fundamental rights of individuals, even those in irregular situations. Moreover, many illegal immigrants have lived in Spain for years and have established family and professional ties. Deporting them would require reforming the Constitution. It is also highlighted that millions of foreigners are now full Spanish citizens thanks to the Democratic Memory Law, which facilitated naturalization for Latin Americans. Here, the debate divides between those calling for a review of these naturalizations for alleged fraud and those considering them irreversible.

The underlying question, however, remains unanswered: what to do with the millions of legal immigrants who are already part of the country? The debate, far from closing, points to the fact that the real challenge is not expulsion, but integration.

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