EU citizens are facing expulsion from the UK, prompting questions in Spain about the possibility of reciprocating treatment towards British citizens. In the UK, some EU residents are experiencing forced departures, leading to concerns and discussions in Spain about the fairness of applying similar measures to Brits residing in the country.

 Four years post-Brexit, the repercussions unfold in surprising and often unintended ways. Take the case of a Spanish woman detained at Luton airport, denied re-entry despite years of living and working in the UK. Similarly, a French woman, married to a British citizen, faced job loss due to bureaucratic mix-ups.

Caught in a bureaucratic limbo amid backlog and conflicting regulations, these stories echo across post-Brexit Europe for tens of thousands of EU citizens. In response to such incidents, the Home Office's generic commitment to border security raises questions. How does detaining a veterinary nursing apprentice returning from a family visit contribute to "safe and secure" borders?

While the French woman's case saw a positive turn after public outcry, the broader narrative questions the essence of Brexit. Did "taking back control" translate to expelling neighbors, justifying the economic challenges and workforce shortages?

Quarterly, around 4,000 EU citizens are denied entry, with suspicion of undocumented work or study plans. Roughly 60% of those denied entry are EU citizens, facing swift return to their countries of origin.

Chaos ensued as the UK accepted late "presettlement" applications during the pandemic. By September 2023, 142,000 EU citizens awaited reviews, with 11,000 waiting for over two years. The backlog, estimated to take another two and a half years to clear, casts a cloud of uncertainty and potential expulsion over thousands of families.



This plight, while not comparable to perilous journeys faced by migrants, reveals the absurdities at borders. Yet, varying levels of discrimination emerge, with most rejections and delays involving citizens from Romania, followed by Bulgaria, Poland, and Portugal.

Contrastingly, Britons in the EU rarely face similar hurdles. Spain, where readers called for reciprocal treatment after the Luton incident, stopped 4,465 UK citizens in 2021 and 1,270 in 2022, with no rejections at the Spanish border. Despite challenges and government scrutiny, over 5 million EU citizens remain in the UK, drawn by opportunities, particularly for Spanish youth seeking employment and language skills.

In Spain, questions linger: Do the UK regret Brexit, and will they return? Answers echo complexities: "Yes, deeply," and "it's complicated."

 

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