The first meeting for minors in Ceuta between the Spanish government and communities is limited to the budget

MadridThe extraordinary budget for the distribution of unaccompanied minor migrants in Ceuta is, a priori, the only item on the agenda that the Spanish government and autonomous communities will discuss this Thursday within the framework of a first meeting on this reception. The Ministry of Childhood and Youth, led by Sira Rego, has been meeting since 11 AM this morning with the General Directorates of Childhood of the different autonomous communities to accelerate the implementation of the announced 25 million euros in extraordinary funds, which are intended to expand the current resources of the communities. At the same time, the date for a sector conference on childhood and adolescence should be set, and its agenda determined. In this meeting, which is expected to take place at the end of August, as indicated by the ministry, the distribution of the minor migrants who remain in Ceuta two weeks after entering by swimming from Morocco will be addressed.

The latest official figures place the number of minors registered so far in Ceuta at 1,400, and therefore under the care of the local administration. However, organizations on the ground estimate the number of unaccompanied minors in Ceuta to be over 2,000. If adults are taken into account, there are around 5,000 migrants remaining in Ceuta out of the more than 70,000 who entered by swimming, according to revelations by The Country. The Spanish government, however, does not confirm a figure.

Until this Wednesday, many of the minors continued to sleep outdoors, in spaces set up by NGOs or neighborhood associations themselves, due to the collapse of institutional reception centers –the administration continues to seek spaces against the clock, taking into account that two public schools have already been made available–. Among all minors, the Spanish government will prioritize family reunification (this August 16th, a technical team from the ministry will be installed in Ceuta to speed up procedures). Children who cannot be reunited with family in their country of origin will be placed under the guardianship of the public administration.

Without Voice

At this Thursday's meeting, not all of the Child Protection Directorates will be present. In those communities where competencies are held by Vox after agreements with the PP –in Extremadura, Aragon, and Castile and León–, the councilors from Santiago Abascal's party will not attend. This scenario has forced the PP to make compromises, which will ultimately leave Vox alone because the ministries dependent on them will attend the meeting – in Andalusia, where there is also a coalition, and in the other seven territories where they govern alone. However, at the beginning, the PP left its predisposition to participate in the distribution of minors up in the air.

Regarding Catalonia, the Generalitat will also participate. In this regard, Junts also took a stand. The party's spokesperson in Congress, Miriam Nogueras, recalled that her party had already voted once against Catalonia forming part of the last distribution of minor migrants from the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla. Nogueras stated that it was an "abuse" by the Spanish government, which "did not provide resources" and "further strained" the Catalan protection system.

In April 2025, Congress validated the reform that made the distribution and relocation of unaccompanied minor migrants mandatory among autonomous communities in cases of "extraordinary migratory contingency," as is happening in Ceuta, where the humanitarian emergency is still palpable on the streets. In 2026, the regulation that includes this obligation was extended for another year, so the measure is in force until March 2027.