Government of Melilla: don't deny the right of residence to foreign minors

The government of the Spanish autonomous city of Melilla has announced that they will change the law to deny the right of residence to foreigners under 17 years. For the president of Melilla these minors are not children in distress, but simply illegal immigrants seeking to remain in Spain after reaching the age of 18.

If this legislative change is finally approved it will create a dangerous precedent that goes directly against the Spanish law, which recognizes equal rights to any minor in the country, regardless of their nationality.

We can not allow the criminalization of children and young migrants arriving in Spain in search of a better life. They are in first place children and teenagers, and as such they must be protected. Sign now this petition and ask the government of the autonomous city of Melilla to not change the law to deny the right of residence to immigrant children and teenagers.