Be Like Spain
Legalization Works
Instead of terrorizing immigrants to America (and murdering innocent people in the process) we should be legalizing them. Let’s take a look at what Spain is doing:
Associated Press, Jan. 31, 2026: “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.”
CNN, Jan. 28, 2026: ““Today is a historic day for our country,” Spain’s immigration minister Elma Saiz told a press conference. “We are strengthening a migration model based on human rights, integration, coexistence, and compatibility with economic growth and social cohesion.” Saiz said the new measure was “necessary to respond to a reality that exists on our streets” and would benefit the country’s economy.” The presidency has said the measure will allow a “dignified” life for migrants. Foreigners who arrived in the country before Dec. 31, 2025 and can prove they have been living in the country for at least five months will be granted legal residency of up to one year and work permits valid for any sector and throughout the country. They will need to prove they have no criminal record.”
Common Dreams, Jan. 27, 2026: “Spain’s population is approximately 49.4 million. Legalizing half a million immigrants would be the equivalent of granting permanent residency to about 3.6 million migrants in the United States.”
Center for Growth and Opportunity, Oct. 2021: “Policy wonks on the right and left agree that creating legal pathways or expanding guest worker programs provides economic benefit to the country. … That multiple studies from groups of all political persuasions find economic benefits from expanding legal pathways isn’t surprising. It’s a common conclusion in research on immigration. CGO contributing scholar and macroeconomist James Feigenbaum estimates that a pathway to legal status is always a better deal than deportation.”
CATO Journal, 2012: “The historical experience of legalization under the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act indicates that comprehensive immigration reform would raise wages, increase consumption, create jobs, and generate additional tax revenue. Even though IRCA was implemented during a period that included a recession and high unemployment (1990–91), it still helped raise wages and spurred increases in educational, home, and small business investments by newly legalized immigrants. Taking the experience of IRCA as a starting point, we estimate that comprehensive immigration reform would yield at least $1.5 trillion in added U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) over 10 years. This is a compelling economic reason to move away from the current “vicious cycle” where enforcement-only policies perpetuate unauthorized migration and exert downward pressure on already low wages, and toward a “virtuous cycle” of worker empowerment in which legal status and labor rights exert upward pressure on wages.”
Jamelle Bouie, Ingrid Holmquist, Jan. 30, 2026: “[W]e can also look at the facts, which are quite clear about the positive impact that immigrants and immigration have on the United States. Immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, contribute billions of dollars to tax receipts. They are paying into Medicare and Social Security in particular, without ever being able to utilize it in the future. When you look at the utilization of social welfare services in this country, what you find is that immigrants utilize them at a lower rate than native-born Americans. Immigrants are less likely to commit violent crimes than native-born Americans. This, despite this administration’s efforts to portray all immigrants as direct dangers to people’s public safety. And when you look at their overall impact on the economy, immigrants are a huge net positive.”
Yours Truly, May 15, 2017: “We all want to be richer, stronger, safer, and freer. Who wouldn’t? And we can be. The answer is not a pill, a diet, a religion or a political party or candidate, and it doesn’t cost a dime. The solution is immigrants. More immigrants. We need them. And the more we accept, the richer, stronger, safer and freer we will all become. Richer: Immigrants make us all richer in many ways, large and small. They create and own businesses that hire Americans. Immigrants are consumers, fueling demand for products and services that require an American workforce. And as the native-born workforce ages-out and retires, young immigrant workers contribute to our Social Security safety net. Stronger: India, China and other nations are challenging our national supremacy in some products and services. A robust, vibrant, nimble, innovating American economy is essential to regaining and maintaining our position of choice in the global economy. Safer: Moving undocumented immigrants out of the shadow economy and into the documented, tax-paying economy puts a big bite on the smugglers, “coyotes,” traffickers and assorted criminals who victimize immigrants and Americans alike. Freer: Our immigration infrastructure, from walls to drones to ICE agents on your block and Department of Labor inspectors at your business, is expensive and very intrusive, pushing the boundaries of personal privacy and business paperwork. Making legal immigration easier will reduce the need for this ominous “security state.”
THE ONLY PLACE ICE BELONGS:
“Throughout history, people rose to confront injustice by fighting back with words, deeds, and courage. Today, we join them with our t-shirts, hoodies, and stickers. (Check out all color options under each design.)” ImmigrantsAreUs.com
FROM THE BIRD CAM:
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