Over a million migrants apply for Spain's regularization process, far exceeding government estimates

Spain received nearly 1.2 million applications for legal status after launching its first regularization program since 2005, double the half-million the government expected.

• The Ministry of Inclusion reported 1,174,978 applications by the June 30 deadline, with only 11,000 resolved favourably and 608,000 accepted for processing.
• So far, 159,097 additional people have registered with the Social Security system as a result of the process.
• Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that by 2050 Spain's GDP would be 19 percent lower without migration.
• Edith Espinola, president of SEDOAC, said the high number shows the state has failed to protect the most vulnerable.