Miriam Nogueras, spokesperson for the Junts per Catalunya party in the Spanish Congress, is demanding that the state transfer immigration competencies to Catalonia [1].
The request signals a deepening conflict between the regional government and the central state over the management of migration flows. Control over these powers would allow Catalonia to independently manage the arrival and integration of migrants, shifting authority away from Madrid.
Nogueras said the regional government requires these powers to gain access to critical information. "We want them to have the data, there is a lot of opacity," she said [1]. This demand follows a legislative move on July 31 [2] when Junts announced they would re-present a law to secure these competencies for the region.
The spokesperson said the central government handled migration crises poorly, specifically referencing the situation in Ceuta [1]. She said the current state of management is insufficient and that the response time from the central government has been too slow.
Regarding specific timelines for government action, Nogueras said that a deadline of Sept. 3 is also late [1]. This critique highlights the frustration within Junts over the pace of administrative transfers and the perceived lack of urgency from the Spanish state.
While the push for autonomy continues, internal dynamics remain complex. Joan Tardà said on Aug. 5 that Nogueras does not govern in Catalonia and that such matters compete with the autonomous communities [4]. This suggests varying perspectives within the political landscape regarding who holds the authority to negotiate these transfers.
Junts continues to advocate for a model similar to the one used in the Basque Country, seeking greater financial and administrative independence to handle regional challenges without central state oversight [3].
“"We want them to have the data, there is a lot of opacity,"”
This demand reflects the broader struggle for regional autonomy in Spain, specifically the effort by Catalan nationalists to decouple essential public services from central government control. By focusing on immigration data and management, Junts is attempting to frame the transfer of power as a matter of administrative efficiency and transparency rather than purely political secession. If granted, such competencies would fundamentally alter how Spain manages its borders and internal migration distribution.
