Spain panic sees Ibiza crackdown on ‘massive’ small boat arrivals | World | News
The President of Ibiza’s Council has called on Spain’s government to stop the “massive” tide of illegal immigrants arriving on the island.
At the beginning of August, the Balearic Islands experienced one of the largest ever waves of migrants arriving in small boats.
A total of 320 people landed in the Balearics between August 1 and August 4. The majority of boats arrived in Formentera.
However, other boats also arrived in Ibiza, Cabrera and on the Llucmajor coast of Majorca.
Among the migrants were 14 unaccompanied minors. The Council of Majorca’s Institute of Social Affairs says it is currently looking after 303 unaccompanied minors from overseas.
Vicent Mari, President of the Council of Ibiza, demanded action from Spain’s government, calling for the provision of surveillance equipment and services to help control the situation.
“This situation requires care services that are neither prepared nor sized to deal with this issue,” he told an audience in a speech delivered at the Town Hall building.
He added: “We need the provision of the necessary surveillance and resources to prevent and control this massive arrival.”
Spain has experienced an explosion in arrivals of migrants from abroad this year, as the country struggles to cope with the influx.
At least 16,156 migrants entered Spain irregularly between January and March.
This represents a sharp increase from the same period in 2023, when 4,287 migrants arrived.
This year’s total marks the highest number registered in the first quarter in seven years, according to figures from the Spanish Interior Ministry.
Most of the migrants reach Spain by sea: Over 13,000 arrived at the Canary Islands, while some 2,200 reached the peninsular coasts and the Balearic Islands.
Spain’s left-wing government also has a policy of distributing asylum seekers around its regions, while their claims are considered.
Many are sent to the Balearics. The migrants can wait up to three years to hear the result of their applications.
In February, the islands’ governing People’s Party supported a motion by the Vox Party in a vote in the regional parliament calling on Madrid not to send more migrants to the islands.
The far-right Vox Party also demanded that irregular migrants should not be registered with councils on the islands, which is how they access basic services while their asylum claims are considered.
