The Government has already identified 1,527 migrant minors in Ceuta and is working with Morocco to reunite them with their families

The Government has raised this Tuesday to 1,527 the number of migrant minors who have already been identified in Ceuta after the massive entry on July 30 and 31. The affiliation is being carried out through the Government Delegation and the National Police stations while the care of the children and adolescents hosted in the city continues.

The figure has increased by more than a hundred compared to the around 1,400 minors registered on Monday and may continue to vary as checks progress. The registration allows collecting the identity, age, nationality, family data, and place of reception of each minor, in addition to incorporating them into the registry coordinated by the State Attorney General's Office.

The Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, Félix Bolaños, has assured from Almería that the Executive's "absolute priority" is to reunite them with their families in Morocco. As he explained, both governments maintain conversations at different levels and share the need to find a solution for "each and every one of the minors."

Bolaños has also highlighted cooperation with the Government of Ceuta, responsible for their immediate protection. The central Executive has committed to supporting the city so that minors receive a reception "respectful of human rights", with attention to their basic needs and under the principle of the best interest of the child.

A case-by-case reunification

The political will expressed by Spain and Morocco must now be translated into individual files. The identification of a minor constitutes the first step of the procedure and by itself does not allow agreeing to their return. The Government Delegation has to verify their family situation, gather information from the Moroccan authorities, and listen to the child or adolescent themselves when they have sufficient maturity.

The procedure also includes the participation of the Public Prosecutor's Office, the protection services that exercise guardianship, and, when appropriate, a judicial defender. The final decision can be reunification with their family, permanence in Spain, or placement at the disposal of the Moroccan protection services, provided that there are sufficient guarantees.

The closest precedent requires careful adherence to these procedures. The Supreme Court confirmed that the return to Morocco of 55 minors from Ceuta in August 2021 was illegal because the authorities omitted the individual procedures provided for in the Immigration Law. The minors were sent in groups without a prior hearing, administrative file, or effective intervention by the Public Prosecutor's Office.

The Government now maintains that coordination with Rabat will be based on the identification of families and the study of each situation. It is also contemplated that some minors may be reunited with relatives legally residing elsewhere in Spain or the European Union when that option is more appropriate for their protection.

Reception and distribution while returns are studied

Family reunification will have to coexist in the coming weeks with immediate attention and the possible transfer of minors to other communities. Ceuta maintains its reception resources under strong pressure, and the Executive is preparing an additional 25 million euros to reinforce assistance in the autonomous city.

Bolaños has defended a response based on "humanity" against the language used by the far-right Vox during the crisis. The minister described statements about "hunting" migrants as "absolutely unacceptable" and accused Santiago Abascal's party of spreading violent discourse against particularly vulnerable people.

The autonomous communities and the Government will hold a technical meeting this Thursday to address the care and relocation of minors remaining in Ceuta. PP governments have announced their attendance and assure that they will comply with current legislation, while autonomous departments controlled by Vox maintain their refusal to participate.