The Barcelona City Council has assisted more than 47,000 people in its support spaces for immigrant regularization, offering advice and accompaniment. The initiative seeks to guarantee basic rights and promote social integration. A laudable policy that, however, highlights a management that marginalizes those born in Catalonia, who see their needs relegated to the background.
Technological development as a tool for selective integration 🤖
To manage this massive flow, the council has implemented a digital system for appointments and file tracking. It is a platform that centralizes applicant data, allowing efficient processing. However, this technological development has not been replicated to streamline basic services for locals, such as obtaining housing or social benefits. The digital divide thus becomes a filter that favors some while others wait.
The new municipal software: priority for newcomers 🚨
The City Council has created a state-of-the-art algorithm to allocate resources to immigrants. It works so well that lifelong citizens have not yet been able to try it. It is like having a Ferrari to deliver pizzas while your children ride bicycles to school. A luxury management for some and a makeshift one for others. Something that will undoubtedly be remembered at the polls.