The Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, declared this Friday the extraordinary migratory contingency in the Canary Islands and in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, after the heads of these three territories requested it due to the tension in their care services for migrant minors.
According to Rego's ministry, the three territories requested it under the royal decree approved this Tuesday by the Council of Ministers for the relocation of minors and which set the ordinary capacity of the reception systems of the autonomous communities.
The Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla meet the requirements to declare this contingency, since they currently have an occupation that triples their ordinary capacity, so they will be able to refer minors who are now cared for to other communities.
Although according to the regulations, which take into account the number of minors in guardianship as of March 31, the Balearic Islands could not request the declaration, the Legal Profession of the islands is studying the formula to be able to do so and not have to receive unaccompanied migrant minors from the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla in order to focus on the care of the approximately 700 they have today.
With the declaration of migratory contingency, in these three territories the protocol approved by the Council of Ministers on July 22 will be launched and which in its Article 5 includes the procedure for the relocation and transfer of minors.
In this way, in the term of one year about 3,000 young people from the most stressed areas will be referred to other regions, for which the immigration law was already reformed, with the PP against it.
"After months of work, today we are taking the definitive step to continue guaranteeing the rights of thousands of unaccompanied migrant boys and girls who are currently in these territories," said Minister Rego, who thanked the Canarian, Ceuta and Melilla society for the treatment offered to migrant children.