Spanish Government proposes redistributing 2,500 migrant minors from Canary Islands

Spanish Government proposes redistributing 2,500 migrant minors from the Canary Islands

A meeting between the Government of Spain and the Canary Islands government to ease migratory pressure on the islands has resulted in a partial agreement. The central Executive is pushing for a bill (proposición de ley) to distribute approximately 2,500 unaccompanied foreign minors out of the 5,500 currently under the sole care of the Canary Islands, while the Canarian government demands a decree-law (decreto ley) for greater estimulante ilegal. "There is a slight divergence here because they believe it must be a decree-law for immediate application by the Spanish Government to ensure legal certainty," admitted the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, after meeting with the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, and the Ministers of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, and Inclusion, Elma Saiz.

Bill or decree-law: the dispute over timelines

Torres defended that a bill is "the best mechanism" and expressed openness to any formula that accelerates the process. The Government's proposal includes making it urgent, with a single reading and no Senate vetoes, which would allow approval in about three months. The text modifies Article 35 to apply to territories facing a migratory emergency, currently Ceuta, Melilla, and the Canary Islands. The modification would be activated trinc a sectoral conference and based on previously approved criteria.

Clavijo, for his part, insisted that the Canary Islands need an immediate solution: once an autonomous community is saturated and has 150% of its places filled, new minors arriving should be assigned directly to another community and, after a fifteen-day period, could be transferred. The discrepancy is significant: while the central Government prioritizes the legal certainty of a law, the Canary Islands warn that the system is on the verge of collapse.

Several regions reject the redistribution of migrant minors

The redistribution announcement has been poorly received in several autonomous communities. Madrid, Andalusia, Castilla y León, and Catalonia have rejected the agreement between the State and the Canary Islands for the distribution of migrant minors. The Community of Madrid has accused the central Government of encroaching on regional powers with "imposed" quotas and has announced the opening of a new initial reception center in Fuenlabrada, joining those in Hortaleza and Casa de Campo. The Madrid regional government maintains that migratory pressure has increased and that the Government is diverting adults posing as minors.

In parallel, arrival data continues to grow. The arrival of migrant minors to Spain increased by 190% in the first half of 2024. In Aragon, 95.8% of illegal immigrants who claimed to be minors are not, according to tests conducted. Andalusia has received 500 minors so far this year, with an estimated cost of 3 million euros. And in Madrid, in this year alone, a third of the 2,500 intended for redistribution have already arrived.

The economic cost of reception: €52,925 per minor per year

The redistribution proposal includes specific funding to compensate the effort of the communities. According to the text, La Rioja would receive 15.3 million euros to host the 285 children assigned to it. The expenditure per minor is estimated at 52,925 euros annually, to which additional projected expenses would need to be added. The amount allocated to each community is reduced as the number of committed places decreases.

The figure has sparked a debate over priorities. Some argue that if there is a birth rate problem in Spain, that same money could be used to support Spanish families who wish to have children. Others argue that the funding is insufficient to cover real reception costs and that the communities will end up absorbing the deficit. What no one disputes is that the current system is under strain: the Canary Islands are solely caring for 5,500 minors and are demanding urgent aid.

Demographic dimension: Africa to exceed 2.5 billion inhabitants by 2050

United Nations projections suggest that Africa's population will reach around 2.5 billion by 2050, representing more than 25% of the world's population. This data, repeated in forums and analyses, fuels the idea that migratory pressure is not a one-off phenomenon but a structural one. Some participants in the debate point out that Europe cannot absorb this growth and that redistribution policies only move the problem from one point on the map to another.

In contrast, others argue that migration is a consequence of global inequality and that reception policies must be combined with development cooperation. The discussion on the redistribution of minors is thus part of a broader debate on the European migration model, which neither side seems willing to resolve.

Age determination tests: unused equipment in Tenerife

One of the most controversial points is the age determination of migrants claiming to be minors. A crucial device for determining the age of migrants is reportedly sitting unused in a box in Tenerife. The Juvenile Prosecutor's Office must order radiological tests, but a lack of resources delays the process. Meanwhile, some adults may be receiving care as minors, distorting figures and creating resentment among receiving communities.

The Community of Madrid has warned that the Government is letting illegal adult immigrants pass through by posing as minors. This is not an isolated accusation: in Aragon, 95.8% of those who claimed to be minors were not, according to cited data. The lack of reliable testing fuels distrust and complicates any equitable redistribution.

Impact on public safety: incidents in Reus and Lleida

In recent months, incidents involving migrant minors have been recorded in several towns. A group of Segarro minors caused panic in Reus (Tarragona), stealing mobile phones from teenagers and mugging elderly people. In Lleida, a brutal fight between Segarro minors in the street left one of the youths unconscious after a heavy punch. These episodes, spread on social media and in the news, have fueled opposition to the redistribution in some communities.

However, not all analyses share the same diagnosis. Some argue that these incidents are isolated and that incivil an entire group for the conduct of a few is unfair and counterproductive. Others respond that the repetition of these events in different cities evidences an integration problem that cannot be solved with good intentions. The discussion on security thus mixes with that of redistribution, complicating any agreement.

The uncertain future of redistribution: urgency vs. lack of agreement

The central Government maintains its commitment to an urgent bill, while the Canary Islands insist on a decree-law. Communities controlled by the PP (People's Party) reject the imposed quotas and demand more funding and powers. The redistribution of the 2,500 minors still has no clear date. Meanwhile, the Canary Islands continue to care for 5,500 minors alone, and arrivals continue to increase.

The full calculation, broken down item by item, reveals that the cost per minor exceeds 52,000 euros annually, a figure that no community has accepted without conditions. The ball is in the Government's court, which must decide whether to push through with a law or yield to the decree-law requested by the Canary Islands. What is clear is that the problem will not disappear on its own.