SPAIN has approved sweeping new immigration and asylum laws to fast-track deportations following the arrival of more than 70,000 migrants in Ceuta last month.
The Council of Ministers passed two draft bills on Tuesday to overhaul the country’s 2009 legislation and adapt to the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
The headline measure is a strict 72-hour border triage system for anyone arriving irregularly without the right to enter.
During this three-day window, migrants will undergo medical checks, vulnerability assessments, and security screenings while held in police facilities.
Those denied international protection face a new fast-track border return procedure, mandating their deportation within a maximum of 12 weeks.
The legal overhaul comes in direct response to the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa bordering Morocco.
The territory was overwhelmed in July when tens of thousands of people swam and walked across the border.
The new framework also expands the definition of subsidiary protection, a legal status for those who do not qualify as refugees but face real risks if returned home.
For the first time, this protection explicitly covers persecution based on gender identity, sexual expression, and disability.
The draft bills also introduce a designated legal representative for unaccompanied minors to manage their guardianship and age assessments.
READ MORE: Spain to transfer 500 migrant girls from Ceuta to mainland amid welfare concerns
Applying for asylum will grant a temporary right to remain in Spain, but this does not automatically convert to a residency permit if the applicant already faces an entry denial.
The Ministry of the Interior will act as the deciding authority, with a maximum processing time of three months for protection claims.
Under the outgoing rules, applicants from conflict zones were virtually guaranteed protection, while others had to provide concrete evidence of state persecution.
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