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56 images Created 11 Jun 2013

EXIT (Immigration in Spain)

For many immigrants who have achieved their dream of arriving in a country where they think things will be better for them, the reality sometimes turns into a nightmare. Alone, with no knowledge of the language, "without papers" which lead them to unemployment or illegal employment, they must re-weave their new life sleeping in the street, surviving on the generosity of a few, wandering the streets of the confusing world of consumption. Some of them will be arrested and deported to their countries of origin with the frustration and drama of the failure achieved; others will attain their objectives and will find a job that justifies the extraordinary sacrifice they have made.
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  • In the year 2000, some 150 immigrants from Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leona camped out for several months in the centrally-located Plaza de Cataluña in Barcelona to make themselves visible and demonstrate against their status of social exclusion. Barcelona, Spain.
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  • Some of the Sub-Saharan that lived at Plaza de Cataluña during a few months fled Sierra Leona because of the civil war which devastated their country. None of them achieved the political refugee status which they requested her they arrived in Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain003.jpg
  • Some African immigrants arrived on the Canary Islands from the African continent in small boats and were then transferred from there and abandoned without any documentation in Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain004.jpg
  • The local police moved the Sub-Saharan Africans out of the Plaza de Cataluña for the poor image it was giving to international tourism. The Africans therefore began a new exodus through the street and squares of Barcelona, Spain.
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  • Given the poor image it offered tourists, on August 6, 2001, they were ousted from Plaza de Cataluña by the local police and began a pitiful pilgrimage through the city. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain006.jpg
  • Barcelona citizens make a show of solidarity with the Sub-Saharan immigrants in their demand for legal residency. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain007.jpg
  • Given the poor image it offered tourists, on August 6, 2001, they were ousted from Plaza de Cataluña by the local police and began a pitiful pilgrimage through the city. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain008.jpg
  • Roundup and detention of African immigrants who were in the Plaza André Malraux and whose crime was to be without papers. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain009.jpg
  • Roundup and detention of African immigrants who were in the Plaza André Malraux and whose crime was to be "without papers". Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain010.jpg
  • Roundup and detention of African immigrants who were in the Plaza André Malraux and whose crime was to be "without papers". Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain011.jpg
  • La Verneda interment center for foreigners. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain012.jpg
  • Nobody is illegal. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain013.jpg
  • After 2001, homeless immigrants began occupying some military barracks that had been abandoned by the Spanish Ministry of Defense. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain014.jpg
  • There were up to six hundred people, mainly Africans and East Europeans, living in the old barracks at one time. Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain015.jpg
  • Some 1,000 people of at least 30 different nationalities found a roof to live under on the 90,000 meters squared of surface area. Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain016.jpg
  • Although they did not have water or electricity, the ingenuity and resistance of their inhabitants converted the old barracks into the largest occupied house in Europe. Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain017.jpg
  • Although they did not have water or electricity, the ingenuity and resistance of their inhabitants converted the old barracks into the largest occupied house in Europe. Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain018.jpg
  • Although they did not have water or electricity, the ingenuity and resistance of their inhabitants converted the old barracks into the largest occupied house in Europe. Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain019.jpg
  • Mohammed, Ahmed and Tariq are Moroccans; they arrived in Spain on a raft and became friends in the barracks. Their families in Morocco are dependent on them financially. Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain020.jpg
  • Mohammed and Tariq organize a small party for the Moroccan. Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain021.jpg
  • Carmen Castillo (on the left) one of the residents and very sensitive of the trauma which so many people in the barracks have gone through, visits her friend Metodieva. Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain022.jpg
  • On February 9, 2004, more than one hundred anti-riot police proceeded to evacuate the site. In just a few hours, the mechanical arms of demolition machines knocked the buildings down.  Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain023.jpg
  • On February 9, 2004, more than one hundred anti-riot police proceeded to evacuate the site. In just a few hours, the mechanical arms of demolition machines knocked the buildings down.  Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain024.jpg
  • On February 9, 2004, more than one hundred anti-riot police proceeded to evacuate the site. In just a few hours, the mechanical arms of demolition machines knocked the buildings down.  Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain025.jpg
  • On February 9, 2004, more than one hundred anti-riot police proceeded to evacuate the site. In just a few hours, the mechanical arms of demolition machines knocked the buildings down.  Sant Andreu Barracks. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain026.jpg
  • Finding a decent place to live is not easy in Barcelona and the surrounding metropolitan area where 70% of the foreign immigrants that live in Catalonia are located. There aren’t many flats available for rental and they are extremely expensive and besides, most real estate agencies do not rent out flats to immigrants and it doesn't have anything to do with whether or not they earn a lot or a little; the owners just don't want them. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain027.jpg
  • Viorel, who is stateless, lives in a shack in Viladecans. He has been in Spain for eight years and works for himself installing satellite dishes.
    exit_immigration_spain028.jpg
  • Viorel, who is stateless, lives in a shack in Viladecans. He has been in Spain for eight years and works for himself installing satellite dishes.
    exit_immigration_spain029.jpg
  • Martin Literash and his wife Dobre Laurenta are Romanian and have six children. In order to survive they sell the newspaper produced by and for the homeless, La Farola. They rent a flat in Badalona which measures about 40 sq. m and cost them € 450 a month. Badalona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain030.jpg
  • Martin Literash and his wife Dobre Laurenta are Romanian and have six children. In order to survive they sell the newspaper produced by and for the homeless, La Farola. They rent a flat in Badalona which measures about 40 sq. m and cost them € 450 a month. Badalona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain031.jpg
  • Romanian immigrants. Badalona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain032.jpg
  • Martin sub-lets two of the rooms to order Romanian families –in total 14 people live there- for € 150 a month each. Romanian immigrants. Badalona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain033.jpg
  • The 70 workers hired in Morocco for the fruit harvest in Lleida, lived in caravans. The campsite, situated at some 200 meters from the factory, was enclosed with a wire fence and locked at night. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain034.jpg
  • The 70 workers hired in Morocco for the fruit harvest in Lleida, lived in caravans. The campsite, situated at some 200 meters from the factory, was enclosed with a wire fence and locked at night. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain035.jpg
  • The agricultural industry in Catalonia accounts for 30% of the whole of the Spanish market. Day labourers from Morocco, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa allow this sector to remain competitive in the international markets. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain036.jpg
  • The agricultural industry in Catalonia accounts for 30% of the whole of the Spanish market. Day labourers from Morocco, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa allow this sector to remain competitive in the international markets. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain037.jpg
  • The agricultural industry in Catalonia accounts for 30% of the whole of the Spanish market. Day labourers from Morocco, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa allow this sector to remain competitive in the international markets. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain038.jpg
  • Most of the workers hired at source are provided lodgings in modified industrial premises, schools that are closed for the holidays or changing rooms in sports centres. Housing colombian workers. Torres de Segre, Spain.
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  • Housing Nigerian workers. Torres de Segre. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain040.jpg
  • Nadia, hired in Morocco to work for four months in the agricultural industry in Lleida, says goodbye to her Catalan friend on her last day at work. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain041.jpg
  • Polish workers are highly valued in the coal mines for their high qualifications and experience, and also for their low salaries. Pozo Candín. Asturias, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain042.jpg
  • Polish workers are highly valued in the coal mines for their high qualifications and experience, and also for their low salaries. Pozo Candín. Asturias, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain043.jpg
  • Changing rooms at the Pozo Candín. Asturias, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain044.jpg
  • The presence of a considerable number of people from other cultures creates a market of new consumers and jobs. The imam El Anrami carries out animal sacrifices as prescribed in the Koran. Escorxador del Gironès. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain045.jpg
  • Sacrificing cattle for "Halal" meat. Escorxador del Gironès. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain046.jpg
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  • Workers of more than 40 different nationalities worked together to build the flagship building of the Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona 2004, conceived and designed by the architects De Meuron and Herzog. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain048.jpg
  • Workers of more than 40 different nationalities worked together to build the flagship building of the Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona 2004, conceived and designed by the architects De Meuron and Herzog. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain049.jpg
  • Said worked in Hilados y Tejidos Puigneró, the biggest textile factory in Spain. In 2003 the company closed down and now they have to find new jobs to be able to renew their resident permits. Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain050.jpg
  • María Rosa is Ecuadorian and takes care of this old lady in Barcelona. She also does all her domestic chores. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain051.jpg
  • Najat is Moroccan and look after Gerard, who is 8 years old. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain052.jpg
  • exit_immigration_spain053.jpg
  • After a hard day’s work in the fields, the Colombian day labourers and the businessman who hired them share some beers. Torres de Segre, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain054.jpg
  • Queues of immigrants in front of the Government Delegation in Barcelona during the special immigrant legalisation procedure which ended in 2000. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain055.jpg
  • Queues of immigrants in front of the Government Delegation in Barcelona during the special immigrant legalisation procedure which ended in 2000. Barcelona, Spain.
    exit_immigration_spain056.jpg
  • exit_immigration_spain057.jpg