The Ministry of Social Inclusion, Youth, Families and Equality of the Government of Andalusia has called on the Government of Spain to “immediately” activate a contingency plan “retroactively” in the event of the arrival as adults of unaccompanied immigrant minors from the Canary Islandsremaining under the supervision of the Board.
As of February 16, 2024, there are already confirmed 187 menas who have arrived as adults to Andalusia from the islands. This increase in admissions to protection centers “is putting a worrying strain on resources. They run the risk of collapse«, warns the Board.
In a letter sent on February 16 to the Ministry of Youth and Children, advanced by The worldthe Board points out that these 187 menas More can be added once you have the results of the age determination tests of another 97 people. «It so happens that these minors are close to the age of majority, therefore requiring housing for a certain period, which entails a high economic cost that is being faced exclusively by the Board without having any resources from the Government of Spain. », explains counselor Loles López in the letter.
These minors are part of the contingents of immigrants with a decree of majority that the Government is transferring from the islands to the Peninsula. «They are transferred by the Government as adults, but they are minors«says the Board, which warns: «The system of care for unaccompanied immigrant minors, as well as that of formerly supervised young people, runs the risk of collapse.»
«All this responsibility is being assumed by the Board at its lungs, without any help from the Government of Spain despite being responsible for the transfers“, warns the Andalusian Government that, in light of this situation, it demands a contingency plan that “must be retroactive when determining the future distribution of unaccompanied immigrant minors from the Canary Islands and the corresponding financing to guarantee their specific attention.”
Sources from the Administration have recalled that “although the Government initially denied the transfer of minors to Andalusia and then assured that these were specific cases, the truth is that At least 187 teenagers have already arrived in the community camouflaged among adultsand they have arrived without the necessary financing or resources”, adding that “Andalusia is a land of solidarity”, giving as an example that over the last few years it has assumed guardianship of 97 minors from Ceuta.
«We are facing a very serious problem. The Government of Spain must sit down with the affected communities to collaborate loyally and put resources and financing on the table. This is a State issue,” pointed out the Board, which disgraces the Government of Spain for having acted in the face of this migratory crisis with its back to the communities, with “lack of transparency, a lot of improvisation and, above all, with arrogance.”
In fact, “the little information that the Board has had and has about the transfers of immigrants from the Canary Islands has been through entities that collaborate with the Government. “We can affirm that Andalusia is the community that has received the most immigrants from the Canary Islands«, has assured the Board, which estimates that, from September to December, it has received 6,195 through different routes, such as the ports of Huelva and Cádiz and the airports of Madrid Barajas, Seville and Málaga.
The current emergency declaration ends on March 31 and “it is still unknown if it will be extended, if a new declaration or any other measure will be issued.” For this reason, the Board has concluded, “we demand loyalty, collaboration and information. “This is a State matter that requires co-responsibility, and until now the Government of Spain is acting with opacity, improvisation and arrogance.”
