World Report 2023: Spain
Human Rights WatchJan 20, 2023
On Monday, Spanish authorities rescued 86 people on board a 20-meter-long (65-foot-long) canoe, known in Senegal as a 'pirogue,' near the Canary Islands. Days earlier, three vessels carrying a total of 300 people had gone missing.
The Spanish rescue service dispatched a plane and ship to search for a Senegalese fishing vessel with nearly 200 people on board that had been missing for almost two weeks. The rescue service thought it had located the missing craft, but after it was towed to Gran Canaria authorities said it probably was another boat they had saved.
Spain hasn't done enough to protect migrants making dangerous trips to the country in search of a better life. Many people fleeing countries in conflict die during their journey to Europe, while Madrid does little to ensure safety during their trip. In fact, Spain has also implemented policies that will turn away asylum seekers and migrants, causing the most vulnerable to take even more perilous routes.
Spain has already taken far too many migrants, and it should not take any more. The European nation is being inundated with illegal immigrants who are being illegally trafficked and exploited. There is nothing humane about an unrestricted migration system that enriches human traffickers, puts migrants in danger, and degrades the overall quality of life in Spain and other European nations.