In Spain, debate has once again flared up over the fate of underage migrants caught in limbo due to uncertainty about their age. This issue affects not only individuals but the entire social protection system, and creates tension in the regions where new waves of migrants arrive. Difficulties in determining age leave many young people without support or prospects, despite formal legal guarantees.
The story of Mame, a young man from Senegal now living in Asturias, has become symbolic for thousands of others like him. His journey across Spain — from the Canary Islands to Luarca — has been marked by a constant struggle to have his age and right to protection recognized. At each stage, his status shifted: he was seen as a minor or an adult depending on which documents he could present and which tests were conducted.
A maze of bureaucracy
Mame arrived in Spain by boat without any documents. He was first placed in an adult center in Extremadura, where he soon found himself out on the street. Later, in Catalonia, despite his claim to be underage, he underwent controversial biometric tests that classified him as an adult. In Asturias, the situation repeated: after yet another round of checks, the prosecutor’s office rejected his status as a minor, and he was forced to leave the children’s center.
Lawyers continue to fight for Mamé’s passport, which states he is 17, to be recognized as valid proof for obtaining guardianship. Without this, he cannot access the legalization program announced by the government, as eligibility requires either adulthood or having parents in Spain. Currently, Mamé meets neither condition.
Hundreds of young migrants face similar obstacles. Even when they have documents proving their age, they are often subjected to additional checks—such as wrist or jaw bone measurements—using outdated methods that experts have long disputed. The law bans such tests when official papers exist, but in practice this requirement is frequently ignored.
Gaps in the law
Autonomous communities are required to take unaccompanied minors into care and help with their legalization so they can work from age 16. In reality, many reach adulthood without ever receiving the necessary documents and end up on the streets with no means of support. Recent legal changes shortened the processing period from nine to three months, even for teenagers without passports. But these measures don’t always work as intended.
The transfer of minors from overcrowded regions such as the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla to other parts of the country is triggering new conflicts. In some areas, local residents protest against hosting migrants, while the teenagers themselves resist relocation. In several cases, controversial age tests are being administered again, despite existing documentation, sparking outrage among volunteers and lawyers.
Mame’s situation is just one of many where underage migrants find themselves in a legal limbo. Their rights are violated at every stage, and the authorities’ decisions often contradict each other. As a result, these young people lose their chance at a normal life and integration.
Double vulnerability
The problem is compounded by the fact that these teenagers’ futures depend on the diligence of regional authorities. If an autonomous community fails to fulfill its obligations, the migrant is left without guardianship or legal status. This sets the stage for new conflicts and deepens mistrust in the system.
In recent years, Spain has seen a rise in the number of undocumented underage migrants. Each case tests the legal system and social infrastructure. The question of who should determine age and how remains unresolved and highly contentious.
Volunteers and human rights activists are calling for reform of the system to prevent arbitrariness and ensure protection for the most vulnerable. However, as decisions continue to be made locally, the fate of many teenagers still depends on chance factors and bureaucratic procedures.
In recent years, Spain has repeatedly faced waves of unaccompanied minor migration. In 2024, similar disputes over the age of migrants led to mass protests in Andalusia and Catalonia, where local authorities also used controversial age assessment methods. At the time, human rights organizations secured a temporary suspension of biometric testing, but the issue remained unresolved. In 2025, new conflicts emerged in Valencia and the Canary Islands over the distribution of minors across regions, which sparked further protests and legal disputes. These events highlight that the issue of rights and status of young migrants remains one of the most pressing topics in Spanish society and demands systemic change.
