Plevris Rejects Claims of Legalizing 90,000 Illegal Immigrants as “Fake News” – Bill Targets Only Legal Residents

Published: January 19, 2026
By Greek City Times

Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris has dismissed as “fake news” and “completely false” recent media reports suggesting that Greece is set to legalize around 90,000 illegal immigrants.

In a statement issued today, the minister made clear that the forthcoming draft law on legal immigration applies solely to migrants who already have legal residence in Greece. It does not provide any regularization pathway for individuals who entered the country illegally.

Greece currently has approximately 793,000 legally residing immigrants, Plevris noted. Of these, roughly 293,000 are waiting for permit renewals or the completion of pending administrative checks.

“The bill accelerates the process for finalizing these checks,” he explained. “It speeds up renewals and verifications for immigrants who are legally present, have submitted the required documents, and meet the renewal conditions. No one who entered illegally is being legalized.”

He further pointed out that, since September, separate legislation on illegal immigration has explicitly banned any form of legalization for irregular entrants.

“Publications claiming that 90,000 illegal immigrants are supposedly being legalized are entirely inaccurate. The acceleration concerns only those who reside legally in the country.”
— Thanos Plevris, Minister of Migration and Asylum (January 19, 2026)

Δημοσιεύματα που αναφέρουν ότι δήθεν νομιμοποιούνται 90.000 παράνομοι μετανάστες είναι απολύτως ψευδή. Το σχέδιο νόμου για τη νόμιμη μετανάστευση απευθύνεται σε μετανάστες που έχουν νόμιμη διαμονή. Στη χώρα διαμένουν 793.000 νόμιμοι μετανάστες εκ των οποίων οι 293.000 βρίσκονται…

— Θάνος Πλεύρης (@thanosplevris) January 19, 2026

The minister described the reform as a practical step to clear long-standing bureaucratic delays in the legal migration system, helping address labor needs in sectors like agriculture, tourism, construction, and seasonal employment — while upholding Greece’s strict policy against irregular migration.

This statement follows the government’s broader 2026 approach: streamlining legal pathways for documented residents and workers while reinforcing controls on illegal entries (see related coverage: Greece Updates Legal Migration Framework to Address Labor Shortages and Irregular Migration Arrivals Decline 21% Amid Tougher Border Measures).