Spain’s defense ministry has provided two military sites in the Canary Islands to be used as reception centers for migrant minors due to the overwhelming number of migrants arriving on the islands. Defense Minister Margarita Robles made this decision in response to a request from the Canary Islands government, which has been struggling with overcrowding in its existing facilities. Robles mentioned that a third site could be offered if necessary to accommodate the increasing number of unaccompanied foreign minors.
The announcement followed a phone conversation between Robles and Fernando Clavijo, the president of the Canary Islands, on September 5. After their discussion, Clavijo informed the media about the defense ministry’s offer to open two military installations located on Tenerife. The first site is a former army explosives depot, and the second is an old barracks. These facilities will be used to temporarily house migrant minors arriving from Africa.
Currently, the Canary Islands host 5,300 migrant children and adolescents, most of whom arrived by sea. This has caused significant strain on the region’s reception capacities, leading Clavijo to warn of a potential halt in accepting any more migrant minors unless additional support from the central government is provided. Clavijo argued that the responsibility for caring for these unaccompanied minors should fall on the central government and law enforcement.
On the morning of September 5, 2024, the Canary Islands government stressed that the region could no longer bear the burden of the migratory pressure from Africa and urged for the redistribution of migrant minors throughout Spain. Later that day, Robles’ phone call provided a temporary solution with the offer of the military sites. Clavijo expressed his gratitude, acknowledging that the Canary Islands will serve as the “initial reception” point due to geographical reasons but emphasized the need for these minors to be relocated across Spain to ensure their proper integration into society.