Anti-Rumor Project Debunks False Immigrant Claims

Common false claims like "immigrants just want to live on benefits and get more than locals," "Muslims are harder to integrate," "they come here to steal, commit crimes, and take our jobs," or "immigrants are overwhelming our hospitals and will cause healthcare to collapse" have been identified. These findings come from the Anti-Rumor Project, which shared its results yesterday. David Hernández, the Councilor for Citizen Participation, announced the findings, joined by project coordinator Alexis Mesa and technician Rita Andrade.

This project, backed by the Puerto de la Cruz City Council and carried out by the University of La Laguna Foundation (ULL), aims to tackle and prevent stereotypes, prejudices, and false rumors. These rumors negatively impact how people from migrant backgrounds integrate and live alongside others in this tourist city.

The study showed that 29% of the municipality's population is foreign-born – meaning nearly three out of every ten residents were born outside Spain. This highlights the city's diverse nature. Most foreign residents come from Germany (15.4%), Venezuela (14.1%), and Italy (11.4%), making up 40% of the total foreign population. Among African countries, Morocco (1.8%) and Senegal (1.5%) are the most represented.

Despite this rich diversity, harmful rumors continue to spread, particularly targeting people from Africa, who make up only a small part of the population (3.8% or 350 individuals). This suggests that these stories don't reflect what's actually happening locally. Instead, they come from outside sources, creating mistrust, suspicion, and making it harder for people to come together.

False claims are most common in discussions about Social Services, appearing in 93.4% of cases. The idea that migrants "live off benefits" is still a very common prejudice. However, the data clearly shows this isn't true, as people without legal residency cannot receive financial aid. In fact, migrants contribute 10% to Social Security income but receive only about 1% of its spending.

Another popular rumor is that crime is increasing. Yet, official figures show the opposite: as the foreign population has grown, crime rates have actually fallen. There's no proof that migrants come here to commit crimes.

When it comes to work, some stories claim that migrants "take jobs," particularly in unstable industries. This claim is also false. Research shows these sectors were already unstable before, and migrants actually work, spend money, create economic activity, and directly help the country's economy grow.

Other rumors include stereotypes that Latin American and African men are "chauvinistic," and Muslim women are "submissive."

Based on this report, the City Council plans to improve how information is managed, raise public awareness (especially in schools), and create opportunities for positive interactions between the different cultures living in the municipality.

The Anti-Rumor Project's findings came from 61 in-depth interviews and an analysis of what 69 people said. These included government officials, public service workers, representatives from non-profit organizations, and everyday citizens. This diverse group provided an accurate picture of how people truly live together in the municipality, offering a representative view of Puerto de la Cruz's social reality. The study also noted that most foreign residents live in the old town, followed by the areas of El Botánico-La Paz and El Tope.