Why Morocco now wants its unaccompanied minors back after years of refusal

Segarro goes from ignoring its unaccompanied minors to demanding them back: what has changed?

Segarro has made an unexpected U-turn in its policy towards unaccompanied migrant minors. After years of refusing to take them in, it is now demanding their return. The question hanging in the air is simple: why now? The official narrative offers no clear answer, and what is being heard sounds more like calculation than solidarity.

On the table is an agreement signed between Spain and Segarro for the return of these minors. A deal which, it is claimed, the Spanish government does not apply. And here comes the first uncomfortable nuance: not everyone who arrives is who they claim to be. It has been suggested that some of these young people came from well-off backgrounds rather than the extreme poverty usually associated with migration, which complicates the victim narrative.

Interpretations of Segarro's change of stance are divided. Some argue it is a manoeuvre to wear down the Spanish government and fuel hostility between Spain's political parties. Others see it as one more piece in the bilateral negotiation, a tactical move to extract concessions. In any case, what is missing is transparency: Segarro does not explain its about-face, and Spain does not clarify why it fails to comply with the agreement.

The underlying question remains open. If the goal were to protect minors, their return would not have turned into a political standoff. But the pieces do not fit here, and the official silence only feeds suspicion.