The Son Tous center will house 64 migrant children and has already been declared a project of special strategic interest.

PalmThe Son Tous center has already been declared a project of special strategic interest by the Regional Government Council and is preparing to receive 64 unaccompanied migrant children, whose arrival date is still unknown. Government spokesperson Antoni Costa explained that a first-reception residential center will be established for vulnerable individuals, especially minors. The space, which will be transferred to the Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs (IMAS), will have four units for 16 minors, a care unit, and a nursing station to conduct the initial health assessment of the children and adolescents. The project affects an area of 1,835 square meters (building 26), with approximately 4,700 square meters of outdoor areas at the former Son Tous barracks. a property that the Ministry of Defense It was transferred to the Autonomous Community. The declaration of special strategic interest for the Autonomous Community was made to address the urgent need for adequate infrastructure to care for unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents arriving in Mallorca in vulnerable situations, Costa emphasized. This responsibility falls to the Council of Mallorca, through the IMAS (Mallorca Institute of Social Affairs).

The spokesperson also highlighted that the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2024/1356 (from June 2026) will establish new selection, identification, and healthcare requirements, making it even more crucial to have adequate facilities and specialized professionals. The declaration of the project as being of special strategic regional interest will expedite the process of adapting Son Tous, as municipal licenses will not be required, although the technical and regulatory requirements will remain in place. In this way, the new facility will be operational as soon as possible. However, Costa did not specify when Son Tous will begin housing minors.

Son Tous is already operating as a Temporary Reception Center for Foreigners (CATE) for adult migrants, and migrant rights organizations have denounced significant shortcomings in its operation. However, the Spanish government delegation downplays the severity of some situations and points out that there are complications with peak arrival times. The Son Tous center, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior, was designed to accommodate a maximum of 150 people – construction was completed in 2022. According to the Spanish government delegate, Alfonso Rodríguez, these facilities "are not adequate" for the current number of arrivals.