Key facts
- Spain will allow 500 unaccompanied migrant minors from Ceuta to relocate to the mainland.
- The decision marks a U-turn from the government's previous policy of returning all illegal entrants to Morocco.
- Hundreds of children have been living on the streets in Ceuta.
- The plan involves NGOs and child protection agencies caring for the most vulnerable children.
- The European Commission previously stated that all irregular migrants, including minors, should be returned to Morocco.
Spain's government has announced it will permit 500 unaccompanied migrant minors currently in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta to relocate to the mainland. This decision represents a significant policy reversal, as the government had previously stated that all individuals entering illegally would be returned to Morocco.
The situation in Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the coast of North Africa, has become critical with hundreds of children living on the streets. The relocation plan aims to address this humanitarian concern, with the youth ministry coordinating with the Ceuta government to place the most vulnerable children, particularly girls, under the care of NGOs and child protection agencies. This approach seeks to bypass potential conflicts with regional governments, some of which are governed by conservative parties reluctant to accept migrant quotas.
The government's U-turn comes shortly after the European Commission reiterated that, under EU law, all irregular migrants, including unaccompanied minors, should be returned to Morocco. This creates a mixed message, partly due to the fact that the latest EU immigration pact has not yet been integrated into Spanish law, leaving existing national legislation on unaccompanied minors in effect.
The opposition People's party has criticized the government's plan, arguing that the children should be returned to their families if Morocco has requested it and Europe mandates their return. Data from Spain's ministry of inclusion and migration indicates that as of March, over 21,000 individuals aged 16-23 were under state guardianship, with approximately 3,500 being under 17, about half of whom were from Morocco.