Canary Islands demand urgent government action amid surge in migrant arrivals

Published on 8 November 2026 - 11:46 GMT+1 The president of the Canary Islands has announced that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has agreed to convene an emergency meeting of the Interministerial Commission on Immigration on Tuesday to address the growing pressure facing the island of El Hierro following a recent surge in migrant arrivals. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Fernando Clavijo said he had briefed the prime minister on the severity of the situation on the island and the mounting discontent among residents. Between 1 and 6 November, 49 boats carrying a total of 4,587 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands, according to the regional government. Of these, 35 reached El Hierro, where authorities say the pressure on local resources is "extraordinary." Clavijo said the Canary Islands have been calling for months for additional resources, better planning and a coordinated governmental response to deal with the situation. "This meeting must serve to agree, between both governments and the relevant ministries, on a joint action plan, with specific, responsible measures and deadlines for implementation," Clavijo wrote in a post on social media. "We cannot continue to act only when the situation worsens." He said he had also requested "urgent meetings" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as well as European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner. "The Canary Islands cannot continue to face, practically on their own, a situation that requires the involvement of the Spanish government and Europe," Clavijo added.