The Spanish government responds to minors seeking asylum in the Canary Islands after five months.

MadridFive months have passed since the Supreme Court gave the Spanish government 10 days to take charge of 1,000 unaccompanied immigrant minors who are being housed in the Canary Islands and who have applied for asylum or intended to do so. But the central government's response has not yet arrived. Following a meeting between the central and regional governments held this Tuesday, it was agreed that the transfer of these minors to the Peninsula will begin next week, according to sources at the meeting.

Specifically, the transfer will begin with a group of eight minors so that "their integrity, well-being, and best interests [of the child] take precedence in the process," the same sources point out. The idea is for the transfers to take place weekly throughout the country. To comply with the Supreme Court's order, the Council of Ministers approved a budget of 40 million euros and will create 1,200 new places in centers on the Peninsula.

"It is important to note that these minors seeking asylum have a highly vulnerable profile; many of them are alone and fleeing wars," explain sources at the meeting, who assure that almost 90% of the unaccompanied young migrants entering this procedure are gold. The Spanish government has carried out a process of individualized assessments of the young people together with Engloba, the collaborating entity in the Canary Islands. "The process is key," indicate sources from the executive. Once the files are in place, the Spanish and Canary Islands governments meet to make a selection of the first profiles based on needs and final destination.

At the beginning of June, The Supreme Court found a "clear failure" to comply with the order Issued in March, it issued a new ultimatum to the Spanish government to take urgent action regarding children in foster care seeking asylum. The order came with a warning: failure to comply would expose the government to "coercive measures" that could include sanctions and even criminal liability.

However, it should be noted that this process is parallel. to the distribution agreed with the autonomous communities of thousands of migrant minors currently in the Canary Islands. In principle, the regions are required to provide information on their current situation and, subsequently, to accept the distribution if they do not wish to break the law. The government intends to begin this process at the end of August.