The Spanish government is preparing to transfer 500 unaccompanied minor girls from Ceuta to mainland Spain. According to the Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, protection and care are the priority. The opposition is intensifying the political conflict: the Partido Popular is pressing questions about the responsibilities of the autonomous communities and stressing that the Interés superior del menor is often best served in a family environment.
The government points out that the girls accommodated in Ceuta at the end of July following a sharp increase in arrivals are to be swiftly distributed among facilities in several regions. No specific date has been set; the Cabinet says the transfer could take place within a few weeks. To ease the pressure locally, 1,500 places are planned in temporary accommodation in Ceuta. Madrid says it has allocated 25 million euros provided.
Elma Saiz stressed that the child’s best interests were the guiding principle and announced a coordinated reception by the autonomous communities. The Minister for Youth and Children Sira Rego explained that only final formal approval at administrative level remained before the first transfers could begin. In parallel, protection plans against sexualised violence and procedures for establishing identities and tracing families are under way in Ceuta and at state level.
The Partido Popular opposes a blanket distribution, arguing that decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis. It also points to the pressure on regions it governs and calls for binding guarantees on accommodation standards and follow-up costs. Government representatives counter that receiving unaccompanied minors is a shared state responsibility, backed by legal and financial safeguards.
The approach is also supported by the Real Decreto 706/2026, which defines a situation of particular interest to national security in Ceuta and facilitates coordination across government departments. Separately, judicial authorities are continuing investigations into alleged assaults in individual cases. The current position: the transfers have been prepared, but depend on further administrative acts and coordination with the regions.
According to official statements and media reports that are consistent so far, the core plan remains unchanged: 500 girls are to be gradually accommodated on mainland Spain from Ceuta, with the child’s best interests as the overriding priority. However, political opposition from the Partido Popular is making swift implementation more difficult.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).