Due to the overcrowding of the centres that take in unaccompanied migrant minors arriving in Mallorca, 310 of which have already arrived this year, the Council of Mallorca wants to pitch tents in the Son Tous barracks in Palma. This is where the social services filter the young people as soon as they arrive by boat in Mallorcan. Council president, Llorenç Galmés, has announced that they will request permission from the government, which owns the barracks, to begin preparing the temporary reception centre.
Galmés already warned this Thursday, after the meeting of the island councils and the Balearic government to deal with the immigration crisis, that because of this situation they might have to set up a new camp. Now he has confirmed his intention to push ahead with the plan and that they are forced to have more reception spaces available.
So far this year, 202 migrant minors have arrived and have been taken into the care of social services, while for 2023 the figure was 180. More are expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
Galmés reiterated the request already made by the president, Marga Prohens, to ask central government for economic aid, more reception spaces and professionals who can attend to the migrants because the centres are at their limit.
The social services of the island councils and the Balearic Government are currently taking in some 400 irregular migrant minors who have arrived on boats, which is eight times more places than the number of places available under the guardianship system.