Following an order from the Supreme Court, the Spanish government began the urgent transfer of unaccompanied minor asylum seekers from the Canary Islands to the mainland this Monday. The first eight of a total of about eight hundred youths are being relocated to relieve the overwhelmed facilities on the archipelago. This move marks the beginning of a complex and politically sensitive process.
Adapting Adult Reception Centers
The main challenge lies in the structure of the state reception system, which is primarily designed for adults. Therefore, the first minors are being moved to the smallest available units within the international protection network to ensure they are separated from adult refugees. Elma Saiz, the Minister for Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, confirmed that groups of 15 to 20 youths will follow weekly. Once the smaller capacities are exhausted, larger centers will be modified to create separate areas for the minors.
The government is working intensively to provide 1,200 new state-funded places, for which the Council of Ministers has already approved a budget of 40 million euros. Minister Saiz emphasized that no autonomous community would be exempt from the intake. Although Madrid will not receive any of the first eight minors, its centers could be considered for accommodation over time. The selection and adaptation of these locations are being carried out in close consultation with experienced non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to meet the “specific needs” of the often-traumatized youths. The affected individuals are considered a “very vulnerable” group: 90 percent come from war-torn Mali.
Political Resistance and Legal Actions from the Regions
The relocation plans are facing significant resistance, particularly from regions governed by the conservative People’s Party (PP). Leading politicians like Isabel Díaz Ayuso from Madrid have warned that they would refuse to accept minors if “respectful and guaranteed” accommodation is not possible. The municipality of Pozuelo de Alarcón even ordered the closure of a reception center where the government planned to house around 400 minors. The PP also criticizes the government for the delayed implementation of the court order and demands that Catalonia and the Basque Country also fulfill their responsibilities.
Simultaneously, another conflict is escalating: the planned distribution of nearly 4,000 other minor migrants who are not asylum seekers. Eleven PP-governed communities have filed a constitutional complaint against this plan, arguing it infringes on their competencies. Madrid and Valencia have filed additional lawsuits with the Supreme Court. The distribution plan requires Andalusia (677), Madrid (647), and the Valencian Community (571) to take in the most minors. The central government has threatened legal action, including involving the public prosecutor’s office, should the regions refuse to carry out the transfers scheduled to begin at the end of August.
