The Centro de Internamiento de Extranjeros (CIE) located in the Zona Franca area of Barcelona is at the center of a notable shift in the immigration policies of Junts per Catalunya, which has transitioned from advocating for the closure of such facilities to seeking management control.

This change aligns with a proposed agreement between Junts and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) that aims to delegate immigration competencies to the Catalonian government.

Should this agreement come into effect, the Generalitat would assume authority over the CIE after a decade of advocacy from various political factions in Catalonia, including Junts, for its shutdown.

Carles Puigdemont, the former president of Catalonia and an influential figure in Junts, describes the agreement as an opportunity to improve the conditions of the CIE.

In contrast, activists have expressed disappointment, arguing that the deal undermines longstanding campaigns advocating for the center's closure.

The planned delegation involves granting the Generalitat 'integral management' of the CIE, which encompasses overseeing, coordinating, and inspecting the facilities.

If approved by the Congress, the Catalan government would gain the authority to appoint public employees to manage the CIE, which is currently overseen by officers of the National Police Corps.

The agreement also includes managing various support services for detainees, such as healthcare, legal assistance, and cultural and linguistic services.

Experts view the proposed law as providing the Generalitat some flexibility to implement reforms at the CIE.

Puigdemont argues that the current situation at the CIE is unacceptable and emphasizes the necessity of a comprehensive reevaluation of its operations.

However, the Generalitat would be unable to close the center outright, needing to operate within the constraints of national law, particularly the Spanish Foreigners Act.

This represents a significant departure from a united political front that emerged in July 2015 when 108 of the 135 members of the Catalan Parliament—spanning parties such as the PSC, Iniciativa, the CUP, Esquerra, and CiU—approved a motion urging the government of then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to shut down such centers due to documented violations of detainees' rights.

Andrés G. Berrio, a member of the Catalan parliament from the Comuns party, lamented that despite the shift toward direct management by the Generalitat, it does not honor the historical consensus of managing deportation processes without relying on detention centers.

Berrio was a prominent advocate for the platform _Tanquem els CIEs_, which sought to raise public awareness about the issues surrounding CIEs, culminating in protests that attracted significant public support.

The appeal included notable figures such as Ada Colau, the newly elected mayor of Barcelona, who advocated for a city free of detention centers.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a temporary closure of the Zona Franca CIE, an event that halted its operations and allowed for a different political context.

The center was reopened in February 2021 by the Interior Ministry, after which Laura Borràs, then leader of Junts, criticized the facility in terms similar to those used by activists, stating it violated human rights and reflected false progressivism within the Sánchez government.

Nevertheless, over the past four years, Junts has adjusted its immigration rhetoric under increasing pressure from right-wing parties such as Aliança Catalana, adopting a more hardline approach to immigration control.

The CIE in Barcelona became a focal point of attention following the tragic death of Idrissa Diallo, a 21-year-old Guinean national, in 2012. The incident prompted a National Ombudsman investigation, which uncovered significant deficiencies in the health care provided to detainees.

This led to public pressure that resulted in some reforms, including enhancements to healthcare and legal support for detainees, as well as the establishment of judicial oversight.

Despite these improvements, detainees continue to face prolonged detention while awaiting deportation, a process that rarely results in actual expulsions.

David Querol, a member of the Immigration Commission at the General Council of Spanish Lawyers (CGAE) and a professor at the University of Barcelona, argues that while the CIEs were established to enforce immigration laws, they have proven ineffective in facilitating actual deportations.

He notes that the ongoing management proposal may allow for potential reforms within the framework of state regulations while simultaneously highlighting the contradiction inherent in changing from a stance of closing CIEs to assuming responsibility for their management.