The Blow to an Illegal Network Uncovers the Problem of Registration in Catalonia

The arrival of Sílvia Orriols to the mayor's office in Ripoll sparked the debate on registration in Catalonia. The subsidized press accused her of preventing immigrants from registering, thus denying them access to basic public services. It was later revealed that what she was actually doing was exhausting the legally established period to verify documentation down to the last detail.

Moreover, it turns out that this was the same practice that dozens of municipalities of different political colors had been doing for years. Over the months, the need for more controls in the registry has become evident. Other mayors have advocated for stricter registration controls to prevent fraud and security issues.

Incidents like what happened this week in Vall d’en Bas, in Garrotxa (Girona), prove them right. The National Police have dismantled a network of overcrowded apartments that illegally registered immigrants.

Serious Violation of Immigration Law

The detainees are three Spanish nationals who allegedly fraudulently registered seven Moroccan immigrants. The offenders registered the immigrants in an overcrowded apartment where they did not actually reside. They have been fined 3,500 euros for violating immigration law, and it is being investigated whether there could be more.

The law clearly establishes the obligation for citizens to register at the place where they habitually reside. Failing to do so prevents local administrations from controlling the population and is therefore considered fraud.

The local administration has the duty to register all residents and offers a maximum period of three months to verify documentation. Registration is also an indispensable requirement to access public services such as healthcare or education. Faced with increased migration, some municipalities choose to irregularly register newcomers.

Racism or Enforcing the Law?

Some municipalities, for example, have admitted to registering immigrants in buildings where they did not actually live to regularize their situation. In contrast, other municipalities have chosen to tighten controls when registering. For example, not registering anyone who doesn't have a rental contract or a property title.

The case of Ripoll opened a confrontation between the Generalitat and the municipal government, which was accused of racism. Other mayors like those of Figueres or Mataró, both from Junts, have also been called fascists for demanding greater control over registration.

These mayors defend themselves by saying that all they do is enforce the law to ensure public safety and prevent legal fraud. Cases like that of Garrotxa confirm the need for greater controls to prevent illegalities.