In an increasingly hostile world, migrants are hopeful as Spain moves to integrate them

BARCELONA: More than half a million immigrants are believed to live in Spain without legal permission.

They work jobs that few Spaniards want: picking fruits and vegetables in the fields, caring for children and the elderly, cleaning homes and hotel rooms. Some wind up homeless.

The “sin papeles” (Spanish for “without papers”) are often exploited, marginalized and invisible.

Now, Spain wants to integrate them. Earlier this week, the government announced it would grant residency and work permits to all foreigners who arrived in the country before Dec. 31, 2025, have lived in Spain for at least five months, and have no criminal record.

Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s socialist prime minister, said the country was opening a legal path for “people who have, together with us, built progress in this country” in a video posted to social media Friday.