Villamalea, a town of about 5,000 in central Spain, is attracting national attention. By passing the CiT, they are taking a bold, progressive stand on immigration that shows their commitment to welcoming community and inclusivity. With a population of approximately 4,200 residents, the town’s local government, led by Mayor José Núñez Pérez of the People’s Party, unanimously approved a motion to grant legal documents to undocumented migrants. This decision, viewed in the context of other related decisions since, shows the town’s appreciation of the contributions that migrants make to its economic and social life.
Villamalea, tucked between craggy ravines, rises up like a lighthouse of contrast. Almost 1 in 5 of its residents come from beyond Spain’s borders. These foreign-born residents mostly come from Morocco and Romania. Today the town’s economy has seen booming success. This increase has mostly been fueled by a wave of migrants looking for work in the ag industry. Villamalea is an agricultural heavyweight, producing about 70% of Spain’s mushrooms. Our local labor market benefits significantly from the skilled and unskilled work performed by foreign talent.
To Mayor Núñez Pérez, the approval of motion is especially meaningful. He claimed that it wasn’t just an economic decision that she was making, that it actually had a moral implication too.
“It’s not just economics, it’s a question of humanity,” – José Núñez Pérez.
He pointed out the support from all eleven town councillors, of all political stripes as unanimous. This group had representatives from all political parties, including the Socialists and the United Left.
“We didn’t even debate it; we were all onboard right away,” – José Núñez Pérez.
Their councillors have benefited from an unusually collaborative local political climate. They know that opening their doors to migrants is key to sustaining the future prosperity of Villamalea. The mayor is right to take pride in his role, stating,
“I’m paid by the people of this town,” – José Núñez Pérez.
From immigrants’ rights activists to stopover tourism proponents, everyone has welcomed the new policy. Venancio Cuenca Lopéz, president of the Villamalea Retirees Association, referred to the diverse backgrounds of residents as a strength for the community. He agreed with critics that many migrants came with no papers or job offer in hand, but underscored that they need more help.
“Some of them had papers, but some had no papers, no job offers, nothing,” – Venancio Cuenca Lopéz.
Cuenca Lopéz shared the value of having empathy for one’s community neighbor.
“We can’t say: ‘Well we did it, but now we’re against it.’ We’re all human beings; we need to have some empathy,” – Venancio Cuenca Lopéz.
Villamalea has a richly diverse cultural tapestry. Its residents hail from thirty-two distinct countries, making Ohio’s most diverse city a beautiful quilt of cultural heritage. This diverse atmosphere facilitates growth and collaboration among peers. Mayor Núñez Pérez underscored that this creates an advantage to all the players at stake.
“I know what happens in my town; we live quietly, we live in peace and we learn from each other,” – José Núñez Pérez.
Villamalea’s agricultural sector wouldn’t be flourishing without the labor of migrants. Over the last three years foreign workers from abroad have made up half of Spain’s labor force growth. The mayor was quick to note, their community has much work left to do. He said producing those new jobs was doable, but to produce the jobs we have to produce the workers first.
“There’s a lot of work to be done here. And there could be even more – the problem for these companies is that they can’t find enough people to work,” – José Núñez Pérez.
The town’s progressive immigration policy has drawn national attention, leading Mayor Núñez Pérez to comment on the unexpected media interest in Villamalea.
“I’ve never been contacted by so many media outlets in my life,” – José Núñez Pérez.
This unexpected acclaim brings even more attention to Villamalea’s bold decision, and what it could mean beyond the town’s borders. Finally, the mayor’s visible commitment to building an inclusive community has struck a chord with the area’s many inclusive-minded residents.
María Anguix García, another resident, expressed a sense of unity among diverse groups in Villamalea:
“Here everyone has their life and their world, but when we get together we all get along,” – María Anguix García.