Rabat \u2013 Spain is preparing a major overhaul of its immigration and asylum framework as the government grapples with the political and humanitarian fallout from the mass migration crisis in Ceuta.<\/p>\n
A draft bill approved<\/a> by the Spanish government on Tuesday will bring Spanish law into line with the European Pact on Migration and Asylum that took effect in June, converging Spanish sources have reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n The new rules will give authorities broader tools to process asylum claims more quickly, reject applications that lack legal grounds, and speed up the return of people who have no right to remain in the European Union.<\/p>\n The reform marks a shift for Madrid, which had previously voiced reservations about several parts of the EU pact. Spanish authorities had argued for a more balanced approach that would combine border management with stronger humanitarian safeguards.<\/p>\n Government sources now insist that the new system will respect fundamental rights and Spain\u2019s international obligations.<\/p>\n The changes come at a politically charged moment. Nearly a month after the mass influx into Ceuta, the Spanish enclave still faces the consequences of a crisis that saw tens of thousands of people cross from Morocco in a single day.<\/p>\n Most of those who entered<\/a> have since returned to Morocco. However, around 5,000 people remain in Ceuta, including an estimated 2,000 unaccompanied minors.<\/p>\n Their situation has become the most difficult part of the government\u2019s response. Madrid wants to return those who have no legal basis to stay, but the presence of minors places additional legal and humanitarian limits on any mass return.<\/p>\n An emergency plan to transfer the minors to mainland Spain has stalled amid disagreements between the central government, the opposition People\u2019s Party (PP), and Ceuta\u2019s regional authorities. No political agreement has yet resolved the impasse.<\/p>\n The European Commission has sought to clarify the balance Spain must strike. People without a legal right to remain in EU territory must face return procedures, while children must receive the protections guaranteed under European and international law.<\/p>\n A broader migration overhaul<\/p>\n The new bill goes well beyond the immediate situation in Ceuta.<\/p>\n It will introduce the EU\u2019s so-called screening procedure, which requires authorities to carry out preliminary checks on people who enter the bloc through irregular routes before they move into the asylum or return system.<\/p>\n The framework will also affect the Canary Islands, where arrivals by sea have placed sustained pressure on reception facilities and local authorities.<\/p>\n