Spain plans to relocate around 500 unaccompanied migrant minors stranded in Ceuta

Spain's migration minister, Elma Saiz, told broadcaster RNE on Wednesday that the government plans to transfer around 500 unaccompanied minors from Ceuta to mainland Spain. The minors arrived illegally from Morocco in late July and have remained in the enclave since.

According to the minister, the central government in Madrid is working with Ceuta's city authorities and Spain's regional governments on a plan under which the minors would be placed in the care of child protection organizations across various regions of the country. Spanish media report that the children would be distributed among all regions on a solidarity basis and placed with foster families.

European Commission's position

Shortly before news of Spain's plan broke, the European Commission stated that under EU law, all migrants who reached Ceuta should be returned to Morocco. Commission spokesperson for home affairs Markus Lammert clarified that this rule also applies to unaccompanied minors.

Opposition criticism

Spain's opposition People's Party has rejected the plan, arguing that children are best placed with their families. The party's lawmaker Juan Bravo, in a television interview, questioned why the government would not return the children, given that both Morocco and the EU are calling for the return of all illegal migrants regardless of age.

Situation in Ceuta

In the final days of July, as many as 80,000 illegal migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco; most soon returned to Morocco. Spain's national police have identified 2,168 unaccompanied minors in the enclave and handed them over to city authorities. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said around 5,000 illegal migrants remain in Ceuta.