Implicaciones del debate público y político sobre las migraciones en el Trabajo Social

International migration has acquired a central role in European political agendas and institutional debate, intensifying with the rise of security-oriented discourses driven by the far right. This discursive transformation not only has a direct impact on migrants, but also generates growing challenges for social work professionals, especially with regard to social cohesion. This study analyzes political discourse on migration in two European regional contexts (Andalusia [Spain] and Tuscany [Italy]) with the aim of identifying how the institutional narrative on migrants is configured in scenarios of increasing political polarization. Methods. A mixed methodology is used, combining longitudinal content analysis with critical discourse analysis (CDA), integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the case of Andalusia, transcripts of 270 plenary sessions (10th and 11th legislatures, 2015–2022) are analyzed, while in Tuscany parliamentary debates on the reception laws of 2009 and 2019 are examined. The methodology makes it possible to identify thematic patterns, the frequency of key terms, and implicit meanings in institutional interventions. Results. The findings show an intensification of parliamentary debate on migration, particularly after the entry of the far right into the Andalusian Parliament. A shift is observed towards a security-oriented narrative that constructs migrants as a threat, displacing the focus from rights and inclusion to control, irregularity, and emergency. In Tuscany, although the change is less abrupt, tensions are also evident between welcoming discourses and more restrictive positions. This discursive evolution in both regions has contributed to the symbolic criminalization of migrants. Discussion and conclusions. The shift of political language towards security and suspicion frameworks directly affects the social perception of migration, shaping the legitimacy of reception policies and weakening social intervention grounded in a rights-based approach. This phenomenon undermines the role of social work as an agent of inclusion and social transformation, generating a hostile institutional environment that restricts the scope for professional action and deepens the exclusion of migrant groups. This study offers a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective on the reconfiguration of institutional discourse on migration in European contexts affected by the rise of the far right. Its findings highlight the urgent need to strengthen a critical professional praxis, committed to human rights and capable of countering exclusionary narratives. For social work, understanding and responding to these discursive shifts is key to sustaining its ethical mission in contexts of growing inequality and polarization.