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Spain's Ceuta seeks transfer of unaccompanied minors after border rush

Spain's Ceuta seeks transfer of unaccompanied minors after border rush
Spain seeks transfer of unaccompanied migrant minors from Ceuta after border surge - Telegraph India · telegraphindia.com

Ceuta is a small Spanish city in Africa, next to Morocco.

Last week, a huge number of people — 72,000 — came to Ceuta all at once because they heard the border was open.

Many went back to Morocco, but about 1,100 children without their parents are still there.

These children have nowhere comfortable to stay, and some are sleeping in warehouses or on the streets.

The leaders of Ceuta are asking other parts of Spain to take these children in.

Spanish law says children who arrived alone must be moved to other places within 15 days.

Some politicians don't agree, and a party called Vox says no Spanish money should be used to help them.

Sadly, some people died trying to get into Ceuta, and in Morocco many families are searching for children who haven't come home.

The Spanish government has approved 25 million euros to help Ceuta care for the children.

All these leaders are trying to decide what is best for the children and what the law requires.

Key facts

Migratory influx
72,000 migrants arrived in Ceuta in one week
Unaccompanied minors remaining
Approximately 1,100
Deaths in border rush
About 75 per one report; authorities cite more than 80 on both sides of the border
Government funding approved
€25 million ($29 million)
Legal requirement
Redistribution of unaccompanied minors within 15 days of a completed case file (2025 reform)
Minors relocated from Canary Islands since reform
719 (government data, April 2026)
Minors from Ceuta already relocated
More than 400
Italy's response
Suspended passport-free Schengen travel with Spain for one month

Quotes

Miguel Angel Perez

Government representative in Ceuta

“"Inter‑territorial solidarity is necessary so these minors end up in other locations where they will be better off," said Miguel Angel Perez, government representative in Ceuta, on Wednesday. "The law must be upheld."”
telegraphindia.com
“"We are crying out for help and assistance," Ceuta's local government head Juan Jesus Vivas told Spanish broadcaster RTVE on Wednesday. "This is an absolutely unsustainable situation."”
telegraphindia.com

Alma Ezcurra

Spain’s Popular Party regional minister

“We don’t even know how many there are, and due process must first be followed to identify those suspected to be minors.”
theprint.in

Sources

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