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US President Donald Trump Balayage deportation campaign And the approach lasts to restrict immigration, especially in the countries of Latin America, caused a training effect in Spain. The country sees an increasing number of Latinos arriving, abandoning their American dream.
Benjamin Enrique Berardinelli Manjarrez is one of them. The 33 -year -old Colombian arrived in Madrid in early May, by Italy.
“My first idea was to go to the United States like many other Latinos, I have this American dream for a better life and to make money,” said Berardinelli Manjarrez. “In one day, you can earn enough money to pay a month’s rent in Colombia.”
He planned to go to the American border and to cross illegally, but Trump’s more difficult immigration policies forced him to change his plans.
“Many Colombian friends told me that they wanted to return. They no longer feel safe and are afraid of ice [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] And police, “said Berardinelli Manjarrez, who left a woman and a child almost three years old.
He must now wait two years before being able to ask for a special residence permit For foreigners in an “irregular situation”.
“The United States is too dangerous for us now. I think the American dream is over. Now it’s Europe,” he said.
More Latinos expected in Spain
Spain has already recorded an increase in the number of Venezuelans looking for asylum in the first quarter of 2025, With 23,724 requestsAn increase of 54% compared to the same period last year.
“This is only the beginning,” said Ana María Diez, co-founder and president of the Coalition for Venezuela, an international Federation of NGOs of Venezuelans and Refugees Migrants.
Mexico said he had received nearly 39,000 people expelled from the United States Since Trump took office. These deportations could further increase while the United States Supreme Court authorized the Trump administration To end the deportation protections For some 350,000 venezuelans.
“Many are now afraid to go to the United States with Xenophobic and Anti-Drive of Trump,” said Diez. “They now abandon the American dream of trying to continue the European dream, and obviously, the bridge is Spain.”
Spain is, in fact, an easier entry point than other countries for Latin American Americans, who speak the same language and already know culture. They also don’t need a visa to come as tourists for less than 90 days.
“It’s a bit like a lottery,” said Máchelin Díaz, an immigration lawyer in Madrid. “Sometimes when they arrive, they can be questioned and returned if they think the tourist person comes to seek asylum.”
CBC News spoke with a Venezuelan lawyer only three days after his arrival in the Spanish capital. Trump’s return to the White House has also changed his plans.
“Under Biden, it was already difficult but possible to get there, but now, with Trump, it’s almost impossible,” said the 40 -year -old player.
CBC agreed to keep his identity confidential because he feared the repercussions on his political activism in Venezuela.
After trying Austria a few years ago, where his asylum request was rejected, he returned to his country in the hope of going to the United States illegally. But the death of a friend, who drowned while trying to reach the United States, and the fear of expulsion changed his mind.
He now hopes to benefit from a Spanish law which allows children or grandchildren of emigrants with the Spanish heritage to ask for citizenship. He finally hoped to bring his wife and two children to Spain.
Look | The use by Trump of the War Act for Deportations, explained:
The Trump administration expelled more than 200 immigrants by invoking the Act on Extraterrestrial enemies – a measure in wartime – alleging that they were members of Tren from Aragua, a Venezuelan gang. Andrew Chang explains how Trump interprets the language of the law of 1798 in order to avoid the standard immigration court system, and why experts say that it is a slippery slope.
In the meantime, with little money, he says he does not know where he will spend the next few weeks.
“I hope that I can find a little job on the black market during the tourist season to win perhaps 40 or 50 euros per day. It’s not much, because Madrid is very expensive, but it would be something.”
Submerged by asylum applications
Díaz says that in her practice, she also sees Latinos who are already in the United States, some with good jobs, making applications on economic or asylum terrains.
“They all want to come to Spain now,” she said.
However, Spain was already overwhelmed with asylum applications before this recent wave, such as stricter controls in Italy and Greece have pushed many migrants to enter Europe via the Canary Islands.
“It is difficult to know what the full impact will be, but what is certain is that the system is really outdated and that the procedures are extremely long,” said Díaz. “It can take a year before getting your first appointment for your request, then you have to wait several months for the process to be finalized.”
Recently Spanish government Modified the Immigration Act In the hope of treating undocumented migrants more quickly.
“Last year, the scenario was mainly to return the Latinos. Now they are better accepted,” said Díaz.
Historically, Spain has one of the lowest approval rates of the EU for asylum, 18.5% in 2024 Compared to the European average of 42%.
“This is particularly the case for Colombians and Cubans who are not eligible [asylum] The status even if we know that in these countries, they have no democracy and have a lot of problems, “said Díaz.” The authorities will say that they will come here for economic reasons and not for protection. “”
The fear of being left in limbo
Alexander Jose Salazar Ramirez, a 34 -year -old Venezuelan, says he feels trapped. He fled for political reasons and lived in Peru since 2018 and in 2023 was invited to participate in a United Nations resettlement program in the United States
“I prepared all my documents and they gave me a travel date for February 13 [2025] In Chicago, “said Ramirez.” I sold all my things, I left my job, I left the apartment, and a week before the flight, they told me that I could no longer travel by order of President Trump. “”
Since then, he has been in the limbo, unable to return to his country for fear of being imprisoned.
“I have denounced the constant violations of human rights occurring in Venezuela. I am like a target for the government. Even here, I do not feel very safe,” said Ramirez, who says he has to start his life from scratch. “I really consider Spain, but for the moment, I can’t afford it.”
The president of the Coalition for Venezuela said that Spain should work with the UN and the United States to institute a process of resettlement for people like Ramirez.
“These people are stuck without an alternative,” said Diez.
The Spanish government said he was working on a plan To accommodate the majority of Latin deportees from the United States, but has not yet revealed the details.
“Recent decisions in the United States unfortunately had an impact on the entire South American region,” said Diez. “We have seen other countries trying to reproduce the barriers that Trump sets up, like Argentina, which was historically a refuge for people in the world. This could also push even more people in exile.”
