Wave of Migrants in Ceuta Highlights Plight of Minors

Ceuta, Spain—A heartbreaking incident unfolded recently when a teenage girl successfully swam to Spanish territory, but her younger brother drowned in the Mediterranean amidst the chaos of migrants. Her mother vanished during the frantic surge of tens of thousands attempting to leave Morocco.

Struggle for a Better Life

Representing many of the over 800 minors who crossed into Ceuta, the 17-year-old from Tangier shared her story. Along with her family, she joined the masses striving to bypass a border fence to enter Spain. They aimed for improved prospects. The Associated Press withheld her identity due to her status as a minor facing vulnerability.

She recounted witnessing Spanish police retrieve her 8-year-old brother’s body from the sea. Though she reached the shore, she lost contact with her mother and has been on her own for four days. Some locals offered food and clothing. A woman allowed her to bathe at her home. She then sought refuge at a government-run youth center but discovered it was at capacity.

“I saw people stepping on the dead,” she conveyed via a translator, as she does not speak Spanish. “Now we are children begging on the street.”

• As of Monday, 860 minors remained in Ceuta after crossing over, according to local officials.
• AP journalists noted minors pleading for sustenance.
• Migrants camp on the beaches of Ceuta.
• Spain confirmed 72 deaths during the crossing, mostly at sea.
• Morocco reported 11 additional deaths.

Legal Framework and Migrant Care

Under Spanish law, minors unaccompanied by adults are to be protected and supported by authorities. Adult migrants can apply for asylum, facing possible expulsion if denied. The criteria for granting humanitarian protection to Moroccans are stringent.

An AP journalist observed Spanish soldiers escorting a crying Moroccan boy near the border. Intervention by local residents, who recognized him as a minor, and media presence led a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish Army to halt the repatriation. The boy was transferred to the Spanish Civil Guard.

Many Moroccan adults have either returned voluntarily or faced expulsion by Spanish police. Among those remaining in Ceuta, a considerable number hail from countries such as Sudan, Palestinian Gaza, and Afghanistan.

The migrant center in the city, designed for 600 occupants, has reached full capacity. AP reports indicate food shortages among migrants.

“The strategy is that hunger, thirst, and exhaustion compel these individuals to willingly return to Morocco,” remarked Ramsés Mohamed Azumik of Asociación Elín, a local migration activist.

Migrants are seen resting on the beaches and hills in Ceuta. Across the sea, Europe beckons as their ultimate destination.