Migration to Spain and Rebuilding “Fortress Europe”

This chapter discusses migration and migrant populations in the context of Spain, and offers an overview of the history of migration to Spain, demographic information about migrant populations, contemporary political discourse about migration, as well as the role of the EU in shaping migration policies and practices in Spain. First, I offer a broad overview of migration to Spain, and highlight some of the key policies adopted by the EU and Spain that have been influential in shaping migration control. Next, I will discuss Moroccan migration to Spain, both from emigration and immigration perspectives, as well as cases of undocumented migration that comes from all over North and Sub-Saharan Africa. Finally, I discuss migration to Ceuta and Melilla, and focus specifically on undocumented migration and Spain’s responses to border control and surveillance.