Ayuso agrees to accept immigrant minors but plans to send them to an industrial park.

MadridIsabel Díaz Ayuso has not ruled out accepting immigrant minors, although she opposes Madrid receiving the most and has announced that she will fight in the courts and before the European Union over "this way of proceeding." "Pedro Sánchez treats the people of Madrid like the toll-paying bank he needs to stay in power," the Madrid government denounces. The Community of Madrid argues that the centers it has "are saturated" and suggests that those who arrive will have to go to a facility located in an industrial estate in the municipality of Fuenlabrada, governed by a Socialist mayor, because it is the "best prepared."

This possibility has outraged the Madrid opposition, which accuses the head of the Madrid government of "racism," of trying to isolate them, and of using the minors politically with the aim of wearing down the Socialists, who from the outset have rejected the possibility of this space in the southern town. The center began housing minors in September 2024 and currently has around 100 places. "In the middle of nowhere, without speaking to the municipalities, without objective, homogeneous, and supportive criteria," criticized the mayor of Fuenlabrada, Javier Ayala, in an interview with X about the decision to send them there.

From Más Madrid, the Minister of Health, Mónica García, has criticized Ayuso for "ignoring human rights" and that "crowding them" in Fuenlabrada is "a kind of punishment." García has accused her of "racism and xenophobia." While the Madrid president deploys a discourse that presents Madrid as a region open to immigration "in general" and to welcoming new populations, she also expresses reluctance toward certain arrivals. "One type of immigration is not the same as another," she has said on occasion, referring to the fact that she feels comfortable with the arrival of Latin American or Ukrainian immigrants, but is wary of those of African origin, arguing that there are greater cultural differences.

The Community of Madrid also maintains that since 2019 it has cared for more than 10,618 unaccompanied minors. According to figures provided by Ayuso's executive, 2,442 were served in 2024 and almost a thousand in the first months of this year. Ayuso's executive spokesperson, Miguel Ángel García Martín, has accused the Spanish government of "giving the appearance that technical criteria" guide the figures assigned to each autonomous region when "the only thing that has done so has been the votes Sánchez needs," referring to those of Junts. Ayuso's chief of staff, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, argued on X that "Madrid takes in more minors than Catalonia based on population."

Abascal attacks the PP's avoidance

The day after the Spanish government approved the decree agreed upon with Junts (Junts), which finally establishes the distribution of immigrant minors from the Canary Islands and Ceuta among the other regions, Alberto Núñez Feijóo avoided criticizing him during a face-to-face meeting with Sánchez in the control session in Congress. The PP (People's Party) did denounce this Tuesday that it was an "imposition," and the Popular Party (PP) communities expressed their opposition, pointing to the possibility of appealing to the courts and the European institutions. One of the autonomous communities that most strongly rejects the arrival of immigrant minors is the Valencian Community, where Carlos Mazón has just reached a preliminary agreement with Vox to approve the regional budget. The far right has been warning for months that the migration pact is a red line that the Popular Party (PP) cannot cross if it wants to count on their votes in the autonomous regions where it governs in a minority.

Although a control session was expected to be marked by criticism from the PP to the agreement with Juntos for the distribution of minor migrants Feijóo has not followed through and has avoided a debate that puts him on the ropes. The Popular Party (PP) is not only forced to adopt the far-right's rhetoric by criticizing the distribution of 4,400 minors who have arrived in two collapsed communities, but also rejecting it completely would mean breaking the law. The PP guaranteed that they would comply, although this would jeopardize maintaining Vox's support for the Valencian budget and for the rest of the autonomous regions, which Génova encourages to close more agreements in order to have budgets.

As expected, the socialist leader has counterattacked with the popular pacts with Vox, after the Valencian president has assumed the xenophobic and denialist theses of the extreme right in exchange for having budgets for 2025. It must be taken into account that The agreement with the ultras has Feijóo's approval."He's trying to cover up a mistake by making a more serious one. He's avoiding removing Mazón by embracing the far right," Sánchez rebuked Feijóo. Feijóo also received criticism from other members of the government during the oversight session. "If Mazón doesn't fall, you will," warned the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz. The Minister of the Presidency and Justice, Félix Bolaños, criticized him for turning the PP "into the common home of the far right."

Santiago Abascal did mention immigration, focusing his question on accusing Sánchez of favoring the "Islamization of Spain" and arguing that migrant minors should be returned to their countries of origin because distributing them among autonomous regions only generates "insecurity and ruin." A measure he will take to court. He also attacked, using last week's protest in Salt as an argument. The Spanish president lamented that it generates "so much hatred." "What threatens our country's democracy is not immigration but the techno-oligarchs for whom you are rolling out the red carpet," Sánchez responded.