A new political debate has erupted in the Spanish Senate: government spending on undocumented migrants will now come under close scrutiny. The Tribunal de Cuentas decided to conduct an audit after the Vox party submitted a proposal, which was unexpectedly supported by the Partido Popular (PP).
The question of how much is actually spent on supporting people without legal status has long sparked controversy. Now, it will be necessary to determine how funds are distributed among central authorities, autonomous regions, and municipalities. The issue concerns funding for healthcare, education, housing, and other social services. Until now, no one has been able to name the exact amount, as each institution has acted independently without providing unified reporting.
The PP, which previously took a more restrained stance, is now calling for maximum transparency. Party representatives stress that they want a clear picture of expenditures and do not intend to conceal information. At the same time, they are trying to distance themselves from Vox’s harsh rhetoric, emphasizing the need for legal and controlled migration that benefits both sides.
At the same time, socialists and Sumar representatives strongly condemned the initiative. They believe that such inspections only fuel hostility and distort the real situation. In their view, migrants play a key role in the country’s economy, filling most jobs in sectors facing shortages of local workers. Opponents of the audit are convinced that without the contribution of foreigners, Spain will be unable to cope with demographic and economic challenges.
Vox, on the other hand, insists that only legal migration is beneficial, while uncontrolled influxes of people overload hospitals, drive up housing costs, and create other problems. The party is convinced that the state spends hundreds of millions of euros, but no one can explain exactly where this money goes.
As a result, the decision to audit expenditures was supported by 20 commission members, while 15 opposed. Now the Court of Auditors must include this analysis in its annual plan. The findings are expected to spark new debates over the future of Spain’s migration policy.
