Spain Begins Implementation of Rapid Transfer Mechanism for Unaccompanied Minor Migrants from the Canary Islands
Spanish authorities have activated the rapid transfer mechanism for unaccompanied minor migrants following the amendment of the Foreigners Act, which mandates that these children be relocated to other independent communities within 15 days when a region declares a “migratory emergency.”
In the Canary Islands, where there has been an increase in the arrival of boats carrying minor migrants, this procedure is currently being applied to 39 children who arrived after August 29. The first minor to be transferred is expected to be a 17-year-old Moroccan, who was aboard a boat that crashed off the coast of Lanzarote on September 10. The minor has already been assigned a new destination, and officials listened to his opinion regarding the transfer. If he does not object, he may be moved within hours.
The legislative reform clarifies that communities declaring a state of emergency are no longer obliged to retain those minor arrivals past that date, in order to avoid further overcrowding. The new law requires the transfer of these children within 15 days, while granting a period of four months to process the cases of those who arrived before the emergency was declared.
The mechanism is currently being implemented in the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla, with the possibility of the Balearic Islands joining if the arrival of irregular migration boats continues. Although some local governments—especially from the opposition—have expressed resistance to these measures and challenged the law, government representative Anselmo Pestaña emphasized that the state will remain an ally to the Canary Islands in addressing the increasing pressure on reception centers.
Pestaña also clarified that the will of the minor is taken into consideration; if the child refuses to relocate due to relatives being in another area, the public prosecutor intervenes, and the matter is decided by the judiciary. After these procedures are completed, the Canary Islands government has only five days to finalize the transfer and deliver the child to the receiving party, which is legally obligated to provide accommodation and assume guardianship.
Officials believe that this new system provides more breathing room for the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla compared to previous procedures that held those regions responsible for minors until they reached the age of 18, even if they were distributed to other areas.
