Immigration Laws: February, 1998 - Number #12

A number of North African immigrants living in southern Spain were victims of racially motivated attacks in late December 1997. To avoid serving immigrants, mostly men, bars in the Almeria area charge them inflated prices. Local authorities banned a demonstration called by immigrants in Almeria to protest against racism and xenophobia, fearing a backlash.

On January 22, 1998, Spanish Interior minister Jaime Mayor Oreja said that "Spain accommodates 600,000 illegal immigrants," making unauthorized foreigners almost two percent of the Spanish population. Spain and Morocco plan a joint commission to deal with illegal immigration.

The Moroccan cities of Ceuta and Melilla have been Spanish possessions for 500 years. Fall 1997 celebrations of Spanish sovereignty of these cities were accompanied by protests of poor conditions from 500 illegal immigrants detained there. The Spanish government plans to build a fence around Melilla beginning in March 1998.

There are an estimated 80,000 foreigners in Portugal, including nationals of former colonies, such as Mozambique, Brazil, East Timor, Angola and Cape Verde. Many hold Portuguese passports or have special residency privileges that go back to the colonial era.

Portugal had a legalization program that permitted illegal foreigners who speak Portuguese and meet other conditions to legalize their status. About 35,000 applications were filed and 30,000 foreigners were legalized. Law 50/96 permits non-Portuguese nationals to vote in local elections, including persons from other EU countries and nationals of Cape Verde, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay.

Portugal has enacted a number of laws with the avowed aim of preventing the isolation of foreigners, including law 97/77 of March 1997 that limits foreigners to 10 percent of a company's labor force. For its purposes, this law defines EU nationals and nationals of Brazil, Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau as Portuguese.

"Moroccan-Spanish talks on fighting smuggling successful," Arabic News, January 23, 1998. Miguel Almeida, "Tiny Portugal Puts Out a Rare Welcome Mat," Christian Science Monitor, Tuesday December 30, 1997.