The Community of Madrid has a child protection system that works due to its robust regulatory framework and that offers specialized care thanks to its magnificent professionals.
But this system is not designed to deal with a massive arrival of immigrants, but rather to protect minors in a situation of neglect temporarily, until the family situation allows the child to return to his or her family environment or to a foster or adoption family.
The Sánchez Government has put this system at serious risk due to its irresponsibility, cynicism and ineptitude when it comes to facing the immigration problem. An irresponsibility that has also facilitated the work of the mafias, which have left tens of thousands of people drowned in the Atlantic, many of them minors.
The central government invaded the exclusive powers of the autonomous communities by forcing them to accept forced transfers of minors between regions, except for Catalonia and the Basque Country in exchange for votes. Faced with this unconstitutional imposition, the regional government had to reinforce the network with its own resources, with hardly any state aid, to guarantee all minors in the Madrid protection system the necessary attention in the face of the looming disaster.
This sectarian and illegal attack on regional powers has mobilized the majority of the autonomous communities, even of different political stripes, managing to reverse a state of good opinion and naively tolerant of illegal immigration.
Madrid has put a stop to Sánchez and his reckless immigration policy and has done so:
One. Demanding the Government to offer information, coordination and financing. Sánchez’s opaque and authoritarian government has resisted until forced by Madrid and other autonomous communities, by transparency authorities and by the courts.
Two. Putting a stop to the Barajas sewer. We pressed until Minister Marlaska extended transit visas and stopped the entry of minors who were stopping in Madrid fraudulently to stay in our country.
Three. Streamlining the age determination procedure so as not to mix adults with minors.
Four. Saying “NO” to à la carte deliveries to please the independence supporters. Madrid has been the community that the Government has wanted to harm the most. But the regional government has stood up against these opaque and illegal distributions and has taken them before the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court.
Five. Illegality reported in the call processes of sectoral conferences, manipulations and attempts to change the rules of the game.
Six. Presenting allegations and appeals, file by file, against the transfer criteria that, on many occasions, went against the best interests of the minor.
Seven. Winning in court. Madrid has forced Sánchez to take care of the minor asylum seekers, despite his repeated resistance.
Eight. Dismantling mafias. We have alerted the State Security Forces and Bodies of how mafias traffic in documentation fraud, causing the first arrests.
Nine. Transferring to the Government Delegation 94 files of problematic minors for their family reunification in their countries. The child protection technicians consider that all these cases require the immediate action of the Delegation to ensure their return with guarantees.
Ten. Being the first region to report false minors for aggravated fraud by having taken advantage of public resources. These complaints have already led to the first arrests.
The Community of Madrid will continue fighting to guarantee safe spaces for minors who really are minors and blocking the way for mafias that use any legal loophole to do business with the lives of others. Madrid integrates and protects, but also fights for what is fair and puts a stop to chaos when there is disorder.
It has just been one year since the entry into force of Royal Decree-Law 2/2025, of March 18, to impose forced distributions of minors to the autonomous communities, except Catalonia and the Basque Country.
The Community of Madrid does not recognize this decree and has challenged it in court, but has complied with it.
That decree expired on March 19 and is no longer in force. Therefore, the Community of Madrid will be very vigilant against any legal tricks that the Government intends to prolong these forced distributions.
*Ana Dávila-Ponce de León Municio
She is counselor of Family, Youth and Social Affairs of the Community of Madrid