The Essentials plural movement has presented 700,000 signatures to Congress this morning to launch the Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) with the aim of requesting an extraordinary regularization of migrants. In a symbolic act, activists and volunteers have celebrated the success of the ILP, whose proposal must be debated in plenary session within a maximum period of half a year.
A large 700,000 built with colored boxes marks the number of signatures reached, well above the minimum of half a million established by law. The cardboard structure has been placed in front of the entrance to the Plenary.
To achieve this record number of supports, the efforts of more than 900 groups have been necessary, including Cáritas, which have joined a campaign led by migrant organizations and people. This effort has been symbolized with a human chain to move the boxes containing the signature sheets.
The ILP regularization is one of the five most supported in history. Only 1 out of 10 Popular Legislative Initiatives presented manages to obtain more than 500,000 signatures.
“It is urgent that close to half a million foreign people who already live and work in Spain obtain the necessary documentation to be able to have labor rights, access decent housing, have full health coverage and other basic needs,” explained Edith Espínola, spokesperson of the Essentials campaign promoted by the ILP. “It will also allow us to quote for our work and contribute to Social Security and the pension system,” she explained.
“The extraordinary regularization is a necessary and possible procedure at this time,” added Lamine Sarr, another of the spokespersons. In recent decades there have been 9 extraordinary regularizations, approved by the governments of the Popular Party and the PSOE, when there was a blockage in the regular administrative process. “Currently there is once again a blockade in immigration resolutions, as shown by the large number of people who are waiting for papers, so it is necessary to take measures.”
More than 700,000 citizens have understood this need and supported the ILP. Now it is the turn of the deputies and deputies. As soon as the signatures are delivered to the Electoral Census Office this Thursday, the agency will proceed to verify them and the 6-month period will begin for a parliamentary debate to be held that will lead to the extraordinary regularization of migrants.
Essentials is a plural movement made up of foundations, Development Cooperation NGOs and religious congregations, whose objective is to ensure that migrants are treated as people with full rights. Among the organizations that support this ILP is Cáritas.
