Spain and Morocco have agreed on the return of over 700 Moroccan minors who remain in centers in Ceuta after their mass entry during the week of May 17. The negotiations, confirmed by documents obtained by Cadena Ser and confirmed by EL PAÍS, detail the efforts of the Ministry of the Interior to coordinate with Moroccan authorities for the “return operation” of unaccompanied minors. Interior has now confirmed the agreement and the first return of an unspecified number of minors. The return process is being evaluated case by case, with some minors not being returned due to their vulnerable circumstances. The Defender of the People has initiated actions to stop the returns, citing violations of the law by the Interior Ministry.
One document reveals that Morocco will ensure the minors’ interests are protected and they will be taken to a center in Martil, near Tetouan. Morocco will guarantee the minors’ rights until they can be reunited with their parents, with L’Entraide Nationale taking care of them if reuniting them is not possible. Another document mentions a meeting with members of the Ceuta government, National Police, representatives of Tetouan Prefecture, and L’Entraide Nationale, which falls under the Moroccan Ministry of Family, Solidarity, Equality, and Social Development.
Many of the minors among the 10,000 individuals who entered Ceuta in May were returned or stayed in precarious conditions in temporary shelters. Currently, around 740 minors are housed in Ceuta, with the vast majority expressing a desire not to return to their country. The bilateral agreement for the return of unaccompanied foreign minors with Morocco, last revised in 2012, had not been activated until now due to Spain’s protective legislation and lack of cooperation from Morocco. The recent agreement with Morocco reflects efforts to address issues stemming from the May crisis.
The agreement has been put into practice in Ceuta, with several organizations providing legal assistance to unaccompanied minors and young migrants confirming that the first groups of minors have crossed the border. The local and national police have begun transporting the minors in small groups to the border for repatriation. Concerns have been raised about whether the collective return being carried out complies with Spanish legislation and international agreements. The process for repatriation requires individualized assessments and ensuring the minors are informed of their rights.
Save the Children’s director general, Andrés Conde, has called for the suspension of repatriations due to violations of Spanish laws on child protection, immigration regulations, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The organization has raised concerns about children being returned to unsafe situations, calling for legal actions to halt the repatriations. UNICEF has also criticized the lack of legal backing for the repatriations, stating that assessments of the minors’ best interests have not been completed. The Ministry of Social Rights has expressed disappointment at the lack of response from the Interior Ministry regarding protocols for reuniting migrant children with their families.
