On Monday, 14 September 2026, the Spanish government began processing the first ten administrative cases in the Ciudad Autónoma de Ceuta for unaccompanied minors. This was confirmed by the Minister for Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, after a meeting of the Consejo de Ministros in Madrid. The move ends a month-and-a-half deadlock triggered by a legal dispute between the Gobierno de España and the City of Ceuta.
The dispute centred on who should formally appoint and pay for the legal representative required under the ley de asilo — known in Spain as the defensor del menor . Without this appointment, the children and young people concerned could not be individually registered, assigned to their families or placed in other legally required procedures. Torres said the role had now been filled, allowing cases to be processed. Ten files have been opened initially, far fewer than the number of people affected. Estimates of the total vary depending on the date and source; the government said it would complete the count and speed up proceedings.
Torres said the state would temporarily fund the legal representation until the courts make a final ruling on responsibility. The dispute between the central government and the city concerns both organisational responsibility and who bears the costs. The city’s president, Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, had repeatedly pointed to the local administration’s limited capacity. The minister, by contrast, stressed that the priority was to uphold the rights of minors and avoid further delays; the courts would decide the question of responsibility.
In recent weeks, the government has also adopted measures to improve coordination in Ceuta. Torres serves as mando operativo funcional, with a unified coordination mandate covering the authorities involved. The government says the individual case reviews now under way will be expanded quickly to ensure lawful care and, where possible, initiate family reunifications or take other steps provided for by law.
With the first files opened, the immediate focus is on practical support and protection measures. The dispute over responsibilities between the city and central government remains unresolved. The government explicitly links the temporary funding to the pending court ruling and says the Consejo de Ministros will be kept regularly informed of progress.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).