The Canary Islands Government goes to court for the State to care for migrant minors

The Government of the Canary Islands will file an administrative contentious appeal against the State after the Council of Ministers failed to respond to the request made by the autonomous community for it to care for the immigrant minors who arrive in pateras and cayucos to the islands, as it is competent in matters of migration and borders.

The spokesperson for the Canarian Executive, Alfonso Cabello (CC), has reported on this appeal in the press conference after the Governing Council, where it was agreed to present this contentious appeal in the face of the Council of Ministers' "silence" regarding the request made to them in this regard on September 23, given the migratory crisis affecting the islands and the problem of caring for unaccompanied immigrant minors who arrive on their coasts.

The Government has not responded to the Canary Islands within the 15-day period established, a month has already passed, and therefore it has been agreed to present the appeal with which it seeks to defend the interests of the autonomous community and the minors, the spokesperson stressed.

Cabello has also reported that, to address the migratory problem of the Canary Islands as the southern border of Europe and that of the minors, the President of the Canary Islands will travel again this week, for the third time, to Brussels, where he is scheduled to meet with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.

He will also take the opportunity to learn about the content of the letter sent by the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, to the European Commission to request support in migratory matters.

For the Government of the Canary Islands, its spokesperson said, that letter arrives "badly and late", as Torres sent it two weeks ago and the autonomous community has been demanding help to face the migratory crisis for 17 months.

Cabello has also insisted that they have appreciated more receptivity from the EU than from the central Executive to their demands.

In any case, he explained that the judicial route has been used to try to resolve the problem of immigrant minors, but that he is confident that an agreement can be reached with the central Government and the autonomous communities in the Conference of Presidents convened for December 13 to modify article 35 of the Immigration Law, so that the distribution of the reception can be established through this regulation.

Cabello has also indicated that the Canarian Government has convened a meeting next Friday of the Canarian Pact for Migration, signed by the political groups of the autonomous Parliament, except Vox, in view of the meeting of the Conference of Presidents and the one to be held with Minister Torres, with the PP and with the presidents of Ceuta and Melilla.

Regarding the latter, he said that they still do not know the date of the call.

The Canary Islands has under its tutelage, at this time, 5,401 unaccompanied immigrant minors, has received the arrival of 5,356 so far in 2024 and in these last 15 days of November 681 have arrived, Cabello stressed.

Regarding Clavijo's trip to Brussels this week, he indicated that he will also attend the meeting of the European Committee of the Regions, where he will defend the need for the Canary Islands to remain an ultraperipheral region, and will take the opportunity to meet with the Lehendakari of the Basque Country, Imanol Pradales, and with the President of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, with whom he will address issues such as regional financing.