The Council of Ministers in Spain has given the green light to a royal Decree that establishes the capacity of each community to accommodate migrant minors,effectively outlining the dimensions of the country’s reception system. This decision empowers regions like the Canary Islands and Ceuta, which have seen their capacity triple, to request the government to declare a migratory contingency in their territories. This declaration would acknowledge that they are overwhelmed and trigger the redistribution of these minors to other, less strained communities.

The redistribution process is set to begin imminently, following a previous attempt that was rejected by the Congress over a year ago. Once the Royal Decree is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), expected on Wednesday, august 27, communities facing saturation can immediately request the migratory contingency statement.Sources from the Canary Islands confirm that the request will be made as soon as the Royal Decree takes effect. According to sources from that ministry,the Minister of Youth and Childhood,Sira Rego,is expected to approve the statement on Thursday,August 28,marking what the Government considers the “starting gun” for the redistribution.

While the approval doesn’t mean immediate transfers, it authorizes the implementation of a protocol between the community and the State to finalize transfer details. crucially, once a community declares contingency and new unaccompanied minors arrive, they must be relocated to other communities within a 15-day timeframe.

“It will be requested as the Royal Decree enters into force,” confirm sources from the canary Islands.

Approximately half of the 4,000 minors from the Canary Islands slated for transfer will be distributed among