Ceuta seeks transfer of more than 1,000 child migrants to mainland Spain
Officials in Spain's Ceuta are seeking the transfer of hundreds of unaccompanied minors from the territory to the mainland. Though the vast majority of 72,000 migrants who arrived on its shores in under a week have since returned to Morocco , about 1,100 unaccompanied minors who arrived before and during the influx – and cannot be summarily deported – remain, according to the local government.…
Spain's Ceuta territory is requesting the transfer of over 1,000 unaccompanied minors to the mainland. Although most of the 72,000 migrants who arrived in Ceuta within a week have returned to Morocco, about 1,100 unaccompanied minors remain, unable to be deported. These minors are living in makeshift accommodations or on the streets as reception centers struggle to accommodate them.
Last week's border surge resulted in about 75 deaths, causing alarm across the EU and recalling the 2015-2016 migration crisis. Spanish law allows adult migrants to apply for asylum, but deportation is the norm for rejected applicants. Children, especially those unaccompanied, are supposed to be granted protection and care by Spanish authorities.
AP journalists witnessed Spanish soldiers escorting a tearful unaccompanied Moroccan boy towards the border, pleading not to be sent back. Spanish security forces halted the repatriation due to local pressure, transferring the boy to the Spanish Civil Guard. While regional governments must assist in emergencies, tensions are rising between Spain's conservative Popular Party and far-right Vox over the law's compliance.
Vox's leader claims "not one euro" of Spanish money should go to the minors, and the process of identification and relocation could take months. Ceuta's local government head, Juan Vivas, called for help and assistance, stating the situation is unsustainable.
Under a 2025 immigration law reform, unaccompanied minors must be redistributed from crowded territories within 15 days of their case file completion. Since the reform, 719 minors have been transferred from the Canary Islands to mainland Spain, and over 400 minors arriving in Ceuta have been relocated to other regions. The issue threatens to divide the two conservative parties, which formed coalitions in four regions this year, hoping to gain national government control following an election next year.
It could also strain Spain's relationship with conservative-run European countries like Italy, which temporarily suspended Schengen travel after the Ceuta border rush. The Spanish government allocated €25 million to support Ceuta's unaccompanied minors, stating that inter-territorial solidarity is necessary for the minors to find better locations.
Government representative Miguel Angel Perez emphasized the need for due process to identify minors before repatriation.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
