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Spain: 23% Fewer Illegal Immigrants Arrive In First Half Of 2019 Than Last Year

Source: Eurasia Review, 14/07/2019

This decrease is especially sharp in the number of illegal
immigrants arriving by sea. In the first half of 2019, a total of
10,475 illegal immigrants arrived in Spain by sea. This compares
with a total of 14,426 in the same period in 2018, a decrease of
27.4%.
A similar trend can be seen when only comparing the illegal
immigrants who arrived in June: 2,798 in June 2019 compared with
6,187 in June 2018. These figures mean that Spain has recorded a
level in the first half of the year similar to the level recorded
in 2017, when a total of 2,682 illegal immigrants arrived in Spain
in June.
Measures adopted
Following instructions from the Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the
Ministry of Home Affairs has implemented a number of measures to
combat the arrival of immigrants on Spanish coasts since June
2018, both to control illegal immigration and to provide
assistance to immigrants.
Based on these same guidelines from the Government of Spain, the
acting Minister for Home Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has
been committed since he took up his post to cooperating with the
countries of origin and transit for immigration, Moncloa said. To
this end, he has travelled to several African countries in a
little under a year to hold work meetings with local authorities.
Fernando Grande-Marlaska has travelled to Morocco, Algeria,
Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Conakry, Ivory Coast and
Ghana. His trip to the latter four sub-Saharan countries was the
first ever made by a Spanish Minister for Home Affairs.
The strengthening of bilateral relations with Morocco should also
be highlighted in terms of this cooperation, according to the
Spanish government. Morocco is a preferred partner of Spain and is
engaged in effective efforts to control illegal immigration
towards Spain from its territory. The policies in place in the two
countries have also boosted their cooperation in the fight against
people trafficking networks and have led to the break-up of
criminal organisations in both Morocco and Spain.
Another measure adopted in August 2018 was to set up the
Coordination Authority for action to combat illegal immigration in
the Strait of Gibraltar, Alboran Sea and adjacent waters. From its
operational base in Malaga, this body coordinates the actions by
various ministerial departments to streamline resources allocated
to the control of illegal immigration.
It is also worth highlighting the strengthened joint police teams
that play a major role in the fight against the mafias engaged in
people trafficking. From 2006 to date, Spain and Mauritania have
been effectively cooperating on the Nouadhibou Joint Investigation
Team (JIT). Furthermore, Spain heads up the European Niger JIT
Project alongside France and is working on other similar projects
in various West African countries.
The Government of Spain has advocated and promoted a common and
coordinated EU immigration policy that is based on solidarity and
cooperation between the countries of origin, transit and
destination for immigrants, Moncloa said.
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