Spain: Children Arriving in Ceuta Amid Surge in Migrants Need Protection

MADRID (July 31,2026) – Thousands of children arriving in Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta amid a surge in migration need immediate protection, with Save the Children calling on the Spanish authorities to provide them with safe accommodation and ensure no child is left without the support they need.

About 49,000 migrants have crossed into Ceuta from Morocco this week via land and sea, officials estimate, with concerns that many children among the migrants are unaccompanied or separated from their families.

Jennifer Zuppiroli, migration specialist at Save the Children in Spain, said:

"When the number of child arrivals increases, the priority must focus on protecting them over politics. No child should spend a single night without a safe place to sleep, specialized care, or an assessment of their protection needs.

"The latest surge in arrivals is placing significant pressure on Ceuta's child protection system, where reception capacity is already limited. Ceuta cannot be left to face this alone. The Spanish Government and regional authorities must act together through a coordinated response.

“Amid reports of a possible agreement between Spain and Morocco on migrant returns, any decision affecting an unaccompanied child must follow Spanish law. Every child is entitled to an individual assessment, and any return must be based on their best interests and respect for their rights. A child does not stop being a child simply because they crossed a border."

Save the Children is calling for an immediate, coordinated response from the national government, the Autonomous City of Ceuta and Spain's autonomous communities to expand protection and reception capacity.

The organization is also urging authorities to ensure that all child migrants are correctly designated as minors, and identify children at heightened risk, including those who have been separated from family members, survivors of trafficking, children who may need international protection or additional support, so they receive the appropriate care they require.

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