Feijóo Proposes Collaborative Migration Policy with Canary Islands to Resolve Current Stalemate
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Proposes amending the Immigration Law to ensure that the State accommodates migrant minors when the capacities of the Autonomous Communities have been reached.
MADRID, 10 (EUROPA PRESS)
The president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, revealed this Tuesday that he has entered into an agreement with the Government of the Canary Islands concerning migration policy, which he intends to present to the central Government to facilitate agreements and “resolve” the ongoing situation.
Following his meeting with the Canarian president, Fernando Clavijo, in the archipelago, the leader of the ‘popular’ remarked that the document, titled ‘Action plan against migratory discontrol’, comprises nine points. Notably, regarding unaccompanied migrant minors, there is a proposal, to be integrated into the Immigration Law, that mandates the Government to assume financial responsibility for the care of these children once the 100% capacity of an autonomous community has been exceeded, as well as managing this responsibility when the capacity hits 150%.
Concerning these minors, they also call for the immediate convening of sectoral conferences on Immigration and Childhood and Youth to establish distribution criteria between the Autonomous Communities and the Government; to ensure that no Autonomous Communities are excused from receiving unaccompanied minors; to verify the age of minors prior to their transfer; to provide the Autonomous Communities with vacant and neglected State administration infrastructures along with the necessary resources for care and housing; and to fund a contingency fund for the Autonomous Communities to provide economic and financial resources for the care of the minors until their emancipation.
Additionally, the agreement includes the urgent assembly of the Conference of Presidents; the declaration of a national migration emergency; assurance of border control – enhanced police oversight, transit passports, additional human and material resources at the Immigration Police Station, deployment of forces in transit and origin countries, appealing to the EU for Frontex and the European Asylum Office deployment, and increasing personnel for processing return files; activating EU mechanisms, such as the relocation of migrants to other member states); making full use of all available EU funds; escalating Spain’s foreign engagement with countries of origin; revising information flow between the Autonomous Communities and the central government; collaborating between the Government and the Autonomous Communities to adopt the European Pact on Migration and Asylum; and ratifying all these aspects at the Conference of Presidents and the relevant sectoral conferences.
“This document aims for consensus, seeks to tackle current and future challenges, and intends to establish a roadmap for swift cooperation between the autonomous communities and the central government, ensuring each entity meets its obligations. Thus, it represents a firm, supportive, and meticulous migration policy. We hope that the central government aligns with the state vision reflected in this document,” Feijóo articulated.
OBJECTIVE: HALT IRREGULAR MIGRATION
Regarding the aims of this agreement, the Popular Party leader stated that, firstly, it aims to “halt irregular migration”; secondly, to “save lives” and “ensure the safety of individuals”, ensuring they are “treated with dignity”; “that the institutions clarify their authorities and execute them with institutional loyalty” and “that Spain does not become a haven for traffickers dealing in human lives”.
“I hope this agreement will assist in resolving the irregular migration crisis currently afflicting Spain,” he affirmed.
Feijóo noted that “Spain is presently the country worst managing its borders” and added that “the Canary Islands and Ceuta are experiencing the most severe impact of this mismanagement of migration policy.”
“Today, my message is unmistakably clear: we will not abandon the Canary Islands, and they must not bear the burden of the central government’s failure regarding migration policy. I refer to its failure because all we see are slogans or an attempt to share the problem among the autonomous communities,” he emphasised.
He further characterised the migration policy of Pedro Sánchez’s government as “incoherent”, drifting “from one side to the other” and “irresponsible” because, he cautioned, “the central government is neglecting its exclusive responsibilities.”
“I believe it is the duty of a state party such as the Popular Party not only to participate in governance but also to demonstrate solidarity with the other autonomous communities where the Popular Party is in power. The central government has a fixation with creating division—dividing territories, segmenting governments, institutions, and communities. Our commitment lies in unity and collaboration,” he insisted.
