Recently, the BBC has carried two interesting articles about immigration that underscores many of the issues that we have discussed on this board. Particulalry the problems of depopulation and the problems of illegal immigration.

One, on titled: Rural Spain welcomes immigrants tells the story of the village of Aguaviva in the Teruel region.
Quote:
Much of the current debate in Europe over immigration focuses on how to limit numbers.

But in parts of rural Spain, where many villages are in decline because of depopulation, attracting immigrants is seen as a life-saving solution.

Until recently, the village of Aguaviva was a community in decline. It lies in the desolate hills of Teruel, one of Spain's poorest provinces.

For years, the young had fled to find work in the cities. Only the old remained.

Yet today the village school is alive to the sound of children. Pupil numbers have doubled, an extra teacher has been taken on.

The reason why the school is thriving is that the village decided to boost its population by attracting immigrants from abroad.

Initially they turned to South America, advertising in newspapers in Argentina, offering free flights and a job for families with children willing to live and work here.
The other article titled: Mauritania takes Spain\'s migrants
explains the new agreement between spain and Mauritania:
Quote:
Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio and her Mauritanian counterpart, Mohamed Ould Tolba, signed an accord that will allow Spain to return illegal immigrants to Mauritania even if they are citizens of another country.
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The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
--St. Augustine (354-430)