A European Parliament delegation reports that age verification errors, male-dominated arrivals and stalled repatriations are straining the Canary Islands’ migrant reception system.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A European Parliament delegation examining migration pressures in Spain’s Canary Islands has reported that a substantial share of migrants initially registered as unaccompanied minors were later determined to be adults following formal age verification procedures, according to a Remix News report.
The Committee on Petitions visited the archipelago in September 2025 to assess how irregular maritime arrivals are affecting local infrastructure and public safety. Prosecutors informed lawmakers that among roughly 1,500 individuals whose ages were uncertain and who underwent formal assessment after placement in adult reception facilities, approximately half were ultimately classified as adults.
The delegation’s draft findings also cited weaknesses in the initial intake process, noting that “initial assessments by police are often inaccurate, leading to some being misplaced in the wrong center before their age is confirmed.”
Authorities reported that as of Aug. 31, 2025, a total of 201 boats had arrived that year, transporting 12,249 migrants. Officials recorded 9,955 men, 782 women, 192 minors traveling with parents and 1,320 individuals categorized as unaccompanied minors. In 629 cases, age remained in doubt at the time of registration. Overall, 92 percent of arrivals were male.
The gender distribution corresponds with broader European data. In 2023, Frontex statistics indicated that 92 percent of illegal migrants were males, a figure described as stable in recent years.
Crime and detention figures were discussed during the visit. Dutch MEP Sebastian Kruis questioned incarceration data, asking “the reasons why, in proportionate terms, an immigrant has a 1.5 times higher chance of being in prison,” referencing statistics showing migrants account for 31 percent of inmates in the Canary Islands while representing 22 percent of the population.
The draft document states, “There has been an increase in criminality following the arrival of unaccompanied minors, with offenses committed mainly against them.” It further clarifies that such incidents primarily involve “fights, insults, and sexual assaults, occurring mainly within reception centers,” indicating that offenses are reported both against and among migrants in those facilities.
Residents from La Isleta, a district near the Canarias 50 reception center in Las Palmas, told lawmakers they have experienced a growing “feeling of insecurity” in the surrounding area.
The delegation also reviewed enforcement efforts targeting maritime smuggling operations. In 2024, authorities initiated 282 preliminary investigations connected to boat arrivals, yet 97 percent were provisionally suspended due to the absence of identified suspects.
Repatriation efforts remain limited. Spanish officials reported that returns to Morocco are frequently hindered because many arrivals lack documentation and Moroccan authorities do not process paperwork for undocumented nationals. Lawmakers were informed that 92 percent of Spain’s repatriation requests are rejected by Rabat.
Maritime Rescue representatives stated during the mission that they “did not carry out interceptions of vessels” and instead operate strictly under search-and-rescue mandates within Spain’s maritime zone. As a result, migrants located during rescue operations are typically transported to Spanish territory even when their departure locations are known.
In the report, Kruis stated he observed a “big difference between the presentations given by official representatives and NGOs and what the people from the districts close to the reception centers and the news are saying about incidents concerning migrants.”
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