It's a question of humanity': how a small Spanish town made headlines over its immigration stance

"Flanked by farmland and nestled among the deep valleys of central Spain, few in Villamalea, a town of 4,200 people, expected to find their tranquil home splashed across Spanish media this summer. I've never been contacted by so many media outlets in my life, said Jose Nunez Perez, the conservative mayor of Villamalea. With a laugh, he added: It made me question, just what have we done here?"

"In recent decades, migrants from across the globe had been atrracted to Villamalea for the many jobs on offer. The steady supply of labour had helped turn the town into an agricultural heavyweight about 70% of the mushrooms sold in Spain come from here while also transforming Villamalea into a rich tapestry of residents whose roots trace back to 32 countries."

"For the 11 town councillors who backed the motion to grant papers to undocumented migrants from Nunez Perez's People's party to the Socialists and the United Left this reality took precedence over party lines. We didn't even debate it, we were all onboard right away, said Nunez Perez. There's a lot of work to be done here. And there could be even more"

Villamalea, a town of 4,200 in central Spain, approved a unanimous cross‑party motion urging the central government to regularise undocumented migrants. Migrant labour has underpinned the town's agricultural economy, supplying around 70% of Spain's mushrooms and filling numerous seasonal and permanent jobs. The town hosts residents from 32 countries and businesses face growing labour shortages that could force reliance on temporary foreign workers. Local councillors prioritized practical economic needs and humane treatment, arguing that granting papers would provide long‑standing residents a fair chance at stability and help sustain local companies and community cohesion.

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