Words are not harmless, so think carefully

Words are not harmless. That is the warning at the centre of this opinion article, written after more than 70,000 people crossed irregularly into Ceuta from Morocco and some remained there 40 days later.

The author says the situation cannot be allowed to deteriorate, while acknowledging that anger and fear in Ceuta are understandable. The concern extends beyond the city, where immigration had not until recently been widely viewed as a problem. The article points to the CIS, which ranked immigration as Spaniards’ leading concern in September 2024 and again in July, amid more frequent arrivals and the regularization process.

The author rejects language that describes migrants as “invaders.” Such words, the article argues, can be repeated by citizens without reflection until they take root and create a climate that Spain may later regret. It singles out Vox lawmaker José María Figaredo, who said authorities should “hunt them all down, one by one” when referring to migrants who entered Ceuta. The article says he has not withdrawn the remark and connects it with statements by other party leaders, especially Santiago Abascal.

The People’s Party is also criticized for adopting the theory of an invasion. At the same time, the author says no leader from Sumar or the Socialist Party has used the same language. The responsibility, the article argues, falls partly on journalists, social leaders and political leaders because public language shapes how people understand immigration.

The article stresses that immigrants have gradually become part of life in Spain. It cites 1.2 million applications for regularization, around 600,000 of which have been admitted for processing and 340,000 already resolved positively. These people have lived in Spain for more than two years, work there, send their children to school and have found a place to live.

The author argues that some people appear determined to turn immigration into a problem even though Spaniards often live alongside immigrants more normally than political rhetoric suggests.

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hunt them all down, one by one