Spain to move 500 unaccompanied migrant children from Ceuta to mainland
The Spanish government has U-turned and said it will allow 500 migrant children in Ceuta to relocate to the mainland. The majority of the estimated 70,000 people who crossed into Ceuta – a Spanish territory on the coast of north Africa – on 30 July have returned to Morocco. However, under Spanish law, the state […]
Spain has reversed its decision and announced it will relocate 500 unaccompanied migrant children from Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the coast of North Africa, to the mainland. Initially, Spain had stated that anyone who illegally enters Ceuta or Melilla would be sent back to Morocco, as the country collaborates with Morocco to ensure no one remains in the territories or crosses into Europe. The interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, had made this clear on August 13.
The transfer of the children aims to address the sensitive political issue of several regions governed jointly by the conservative People’s party and the far-right Vox being reluctant or opposed to receiving their quota. To minimize conflict, the youth ministry and Ceuta government are devising an urgent plan where NGOs and child protection agencies will oversee the most vulnerable children, particularly girls, by taking guardianship without transferring the children to Spain's regional governments.
However, the European Commission has stated that under EU law, all migrants in Ceuta should be returned to Morocco, including unaccompanied minors. The commission's spokesperson, Markus Lammert, clarified that the law requires all irregular migrants remaining in Ceuta to be sent back.
The government's plan has faced criticism from the People’s party, which believes the children should be with their families. Juan Bravo, the deputy finance spokesperson for the People’s party, said that if Morocco has asked for the children to be returned and if Europe expects all irregular immigrants to return, including children and non-minors, why does the government need further clarification?
The situation is further complicated by the fact that the latest European pact on immigration has not yet been incorporated into Spanish law, leaving Spain's legislation on unaccompanied minors in force. As of March 21, the Ministry of Inclusion and Migration reported that 104 people aged 16-23 were the state's guardians, with about 3,500 under 17. Approximately 50% of these children were from Morocco, with girls accounting for about 8% of the total.
Written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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