Government officials told El País on 15 September that, if political deadlock persists, Madrid will invoke the 2025 royal-decree mechanism allowing compulsory redistribution of unaccompanied minors across Spain’s autonomous regions. Roughly 3,800 minors remain in makeshift facilities in Ceuta, with social-services staff warning of overcrowding and rising protection risks. Under the plan, regions would receive minors according to population and GDP metrics, similar to the model used in last year’s Canary Islands arrivals. The central government would finance accommodation and schooling costs during the first year, after which regional budgets would assume responsibility. Business associations in Ceuta have welcomed the initiative, arguing that overstretched reception centres have spilled into tourist zones, dampening visitor numbers and straining municipal services. Nationwide, the measure could also help address seasonal labour gaps; several agricultural cooperatives in Andalusia have signalled willingness to offer apprenticeships to age-eligible beneficiaries. Opposition parties have called for stricter age-verification protocols, claiming that adult migrants sometimes pose as minors. The interior ministry says it will deploy mobile biometric units to Ceuta next week to accelerate assessments before transfers begin.
Source: El País
