UN experts on Friday expressed concern over the eviction of more than 400 migrants from the Badalona 9 (B9) informal settlement in Catalonia on December 17, calling the move “a serious violation of the right to adequate housing” and warning it could amount to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
Only around 30 residents were expected to receive emergency housing, leaving the majority with no alternatives. Many of those affected are women, older persons, and individuals with medical needs. B9, a former secondary school, had become the largest informal migrant settlement in Catalonia, hosting between 400 and 500 individuals, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa. While the Administrative-Contentious Court No. 11 of Barcelona authorized the eviction, the ruling did not require authorities to provide adequate housing for all residents, prompting criticism from human rights experts. The eviction has been accompanied by stigmatising rhetoric from public officials, portraying migrants as a threat to security.
The eviction occurs amid broader tensions around migration in Spain. In Torre Pacheco, southeastern Spain, far-right groups and local residents clashed with North African migrants in July 2025, resulting in multiple arrests and injuries. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska attributed the violence to anti-immigration rhetoric circulating on social media. In July of this year, Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz called for the regularization of 500,000 migrants, urging the legislature to pass legislation that provides legal status and work permits.
The debate over migration in Spain is further complicated by contrasting economic and social narratives. Foreign workers have contributed significantly to Spain’s economic growth, filling low-wage but essential roles and helping offset labor shortages. Migration policy has also sought to protect migrants from exploitation and integrate them into the workforce, including plans to grant residency and work permits to 300,000 undocumented migrants annually over the next three years.
In February 2017, an estimated 160,000 people marched through Barcelona in support of refugees, holding banners declaring “We want to welcome you.” The demonstration occurred at a time when Spain had pledged to accept 17,000 refugees, yet it had only taken in a fraction of that number by then. Organizers described the march as a show of solidarity and a call for the government to uphold its commitments to protect vulnerable migrants. Nevertheless, anti-immigrant sentiment persists in some areas. Far-right political groups and local actors have been linked to harassment, protests, and attacks on migrants, including children, highlighting ongoing social divisions.
