Since Pedro Sánchez came to power in June 2018, Spain has faced an unprecedented migration crisis. Official figures reveal that, until March 5th, 2025, 348,167 illegal immigrants entered the country, according to the latest data from UNHCR and the General Commissariat for Immigration and Borders (CGEF).
While this number is concerning, but even more alarming is the possibility that many additional arrivals might have escaped official control, significantly increasing the total.
The rise of the current socialist government marked a significant turning point. In just the second half of 2018, under Sánchez’ administration, Spain received 53,572 illegal immigrants, representing almost 82% of the annual total. In subsequent years, the figures have followed a dangerous upward trend.
In 2019, illegal entries totaled 32,513, with noticeable dispersion across different parts of the national territory, from the Iberian Peninsula to the Canary Islands, including Ceuta and Melilla. However, in 2020, during the global COVID-19 pandemic, the situation began to show alarming growth. Despite global lockdowns and health restrictions, 41,861 people entered Spain illegally, with over 23,000 arriving in the Canary Islands alone, turning the archipelago into the epicenter of the Spanish migration crisis.
The situation worsened further in 2021, with 43,197 officially recorded illegal entries, a figure dramatically increased by a critical incident when Morocco allowed approximately 14,000 migrants to enter Ceuta within just 48 hours. This event demonstrated the vulnerability of Spanish and European borders to external pressures, particularly from neighboring countries able to exert diplomatic pressure.
The flow continued in subsequent years. Although there was a slight decrease in 2022, with 31,763 entries, 2023 saw another significant spike with 57,538 illegal immigrants, once again highlighting the Canary Islands as the main destination, with more than 40,000 arrivals. In 2024, the figure reached historical highs, registering 64,318 illegal entries, nearly three-quarters concentrated again in the Canary Islands. This intensified pressure on infrastructure, public services, and local resources has led to protests and growing concern among the local population.
At the same time, official projections by Pedro Sánchez’ government and relevant institutions are equally alarming. During an official visit to Mauritania in August 2024, Sánchez announced that Spain aims to receive 200,000 and 250,000 immigrants annually to fill job vacancies and sustain the welfare state. This statement sparked profound controversy among large sectors of the Spanish population, who were concerned about the country’s social and cultural sustainability. A recent survey conducted by Instituto 40dB for El País and Cadena SER revealed that 57% of Spaniards believe there are too many immigrants.
Further exacerbating those concerns is an alarming projection from the Bank of Spain, stating that Spain would need around 25 million immigrants over the next 25 years to maintain the current dependency ratio.
Europe faces similar challenges. The European Union is under unprecedented migratory pressure, testing its values, internal cohesion, and capacity to absorb new populations. Mass immigration raises serious questions about the continent’s demographic, cultural, and social future.
Additionally, Europe’s demographic crisis is marked by an alarming decline in birth rates. According to Eurostat, in 2023, the EU recorded only 3,665,000 births, a 5.5% drop compared to the previous year, reaching a new historic low. Europe’s birth rate has fallen to 8.7 births per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to a death rate of 11.5 per 1,000, resulting in negative natural population growth. The average fertility rate in Europe is just 1.46 children per woman, far below the generational replacement threshold of 2.1.
This combination of low birth rates and high immigration leads to worrying projections. If these trends continue, Europe could face a scenario where the immigrant population surpasses the native population in several countries within a few decades, seriously threatening European cultural identity.
