The Spanish government has announced an extraordinary funding package of 25 million euros to address the urgent needs of unaccompanied migrant minors in the autonomous city of Ceuta. This financial injection follows a massive influx of migrants that has overwhelmed local reception facilities and left many children and adolescents without adequate shelter. The new funds will be transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Youth and Children, which will then distribute the resources to the city to provide emergency care and housing. This allocation is in addition to 5.5 million euros already distributed to the region in July to support child protection services.
Local authorities in Ceuta have reported that their existing centers are operating well beyond capacity. While official estimates of the number of minors currently in the city vary, local officials suggest the figure could exceed 1,000. Many of these young people have been forced to sleep in public spaces or improvised shelters, prompting the government to coordinate with the Ministry of Education to convert two school buildings into temporary reception centers. These facilities are intended to provide a safer environment, particularly for the youngest and most vulnerable arrivals.
Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration Elma Saiz emphasized that the government is committed to supporting Ceuta during this humanitarian crisis. She noted that while the administration had anticipated a seasonal rise in migration, the scale of the recent arrivals was unprecedented. The government is now working to stabilize the situation while calling for a broader, coordinated response from all of Spain's autonomous communities to share the responsibility of hosting these minors. As the situation remains fluid, officials are continuing to register and locate children who are still dispersed throughout the city.