The Hidden Costs of Illegal Emigration to Spain: Risks, Realities, and Consequences

Author: Mehtap Ucar

Illegal emigration is the migration of a person from one country to another illegally or without following official immigration procedures. It is also called undocumented stay- without a residence permit or authorization to stay. This often happens for reasons such as economic opportunity, war, political pressure, or the search for better living conditions. Another reason is the difficulty of legal procedures. Although illegal immigration is an old phenomenon, has started to become more prominent lately.

Illegal migration to another country starts off very difficult and the process gets more and more difficult. At the beginning of the process, they make high-risk journeys by sea or land through migrant smugglers. Once illegal immigrants arrive in the country they wish to immigrate to, they do not have unrestricted access to basic rights such as work, healthcare and education.

In many parts of the world, undocumented or illegal immigration has become. Tackling illegal immigration has become an important political issue in Western democracies. We will see impact of illegal emmigration in Spain on below. These effects are multifaceted and can be seen in many areas such as personel, social, legal, and economic.

Personal Risks of Illegal Emigration to Spain:

Most migrants try to reach Spain via the Mediterranean or the Atlantic in small, overcrowded and flimsy boats. The risks of drowning are high during this journey. Migrants risk their lives by paying high fees to smugglers.

Illegal migrants cannot benefit from health, education and social services because they do not have official documents in the country they immigrate to, and they are exposed to exploitation and poor working conditions in the workplace because they are employed illegally.

The risk of deportation causes them to live in constant fear and uncertainty.

Legal Consequences of Illegal Emigration to Spain:

Deportation and repatriation are the most common legal consequences. Detention is also among the possible consequences. It is extremely difficult for illegal immigrants to obtain legal residence or citizenship in Spain. However, some immigrants who have resided in Spain continuously for many years can obtain a residence permit under certain circumstances with exceptional legal regulations.

Economic struggles:

Individuals who migrate to Spain illegally face serious economic difficulties after arriving. Without legal documents, it is very difficult to work, find a housing and access basic services. Since illegal immigrants do not have a work permit, they are not accepted into official jobs, are forced to work in low-paid and insecure jobs and are vulnerable to exploitation. People without official documents cannot benefit from social assistance and have difficulty meeting their basic needs. Illegal immigrants often have difficulty receiving free treatment in hospitals because they do not have health insurance.

Social Challenges:

Illegal immigration to Spain creates various social challenges for both migrants and the host society, including exclusion, discrimination, integration problems and pressure on public resources.

Many immigrants have difficulty communicating with locals and fitting into social life due to language barriers. Some groups and media portray illegal immigration as a security threat or a source of social instability, which increases discrimination.

The Consequences of Illegal Immigration to Spain for the EU:

Due to its geographical location, Spain is one of the main entry points for illegal migration from Africa and Latin America to Europe, which has various consequences for the EU's border security, humanitarian aid and migration policies.

Conclusion:

Illegal immigration to Spain creates multidimensional and complex problems for migrants, Spain and the countries of immigration. People who migrate to Spain illegally face serious risks such as life-threatening danger, human trafficking, exploitation, legal insecurity and psychological trauma. For Spain, the increasing demand for public services, rising unemployment rates and social tensions pose great challenges. These risks reveal the fact that migration is not only limited to economic opportunities but also carries dangers. In order to protect migrants from these risks, it is of great importance to develop legal migration routes and implement policies that comply with human rights.