A decision has been made in Valencia that could significantly impact the lives of thousands of migrants and the operations of city services. The municipality, governed by the PP and Vox coalition, has eliminated the only legal position at the Immigration Assistance Center (CAI) just as Spain is launching a large-scale legalization process for hundreds of thousands of undocumented foreigners. This move has sparked a strong response from civic organizations and politicians, who warn that it threatens to leave those most in need of legal help without qualified support.
According to El Pais, the issue of eliminating the position arose after the staff member who held it was transferred to another department in September last year. At the most recent negotiations committee meeting, it was revealed that the vacancy would not be reinstated, and legal assistance at CAI would be discontinued. Opposition representatives and relevant councils warn that the lack of a professional lawyer could lead to chaos in the center’s operations and complicate paperwork for migrants, especially amid the upcoming legalization.
Response and consequences
The city council emphasizes that community organizations had previously requested increased legal and administrative support at CAI, anticipating a surge in applications due to the new legalization measures. However, instead of expanding staff, the authorities decided to cut a key position. According to representatives of the Socialists, this decision not only weakens the support system but also signals a withdrawal of social responsibility towards vulnerable groups.
As an alternative, the authorities proposed to compensate for the lack of a lawyer by signing an agreement with the Association of Housewives and Consumers Tyrius, concluded in 2024. However, experts argue that this approach cannot substitute the professional legal assistance required for complex cases involving immigration law. As a result, in the opposition’s view, the city risks an increase in unresolved issues among migrants and additional pressure on other services.
Situation in municipal services
In recent months, Valencia’s population registration offices have seen long queues, especially in February, when many migrants tried to obtain the necessary documents to participate in the legalization process. The municipality was forced to publicly state that its services do not have information about the details of the process and to redirect people to the government Office for Foreigners on Plaza Temple. This only heightened tensions and demonstrated how crucial professional support is in such situations.
The Immigration Assistance Center (CAI) has traditionally served as a link between migrants, city services, and government agencies. The center offered consultations, helped process documents, trained civil society representatives, and prepared reports on integration issues. Now, after the elimination of its only legal position, these functions are under threat.
Context and comparisons
According to El Pais, the decision to eliminate the position was made at a time when Spain is seeing a rise in legalization requests and growing pressure on city services. In similar situations in other regions of the country, authorities have instead tried to expand migrant support to avoid overloads and conflicts. For instance, a recent civil action in Santiago in support of a former prosecutor also highlights public attention to legal assistance and integration—more details on this event can be found in the article about the civic initiative in Galicia.
In recent years, Spain has repeatedly seen debates over the reduction of social and legal services for migrants. In 2025, a similar initiative was discussed in Madrid, but following protests from civil society organizations, the authorities were forced to reconsider their plans. In contrast, the municipality of Barcelona increased funding for legal consultations for foreigners, which helped ease the burden on city services and speed up the process of document processing. These examples show that approaches to the issue can vary significantly even within a single country.
