Daniel J. Ollero Madrid

Luis F. Durán Madrid

Madrid

Madrid

Updated Wednesday, January 31, 2024-00:06

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17:00 in the afternoon in the José Cadalso square in Alcalá de Henares. Through the heavy sliding door of a military compound, small groups of young people begin to trickle out. However, these are not professional soldiers. They are some of the hundreds of immigrants whom the Ministry of Immigration has temporarily housed in this barracks. Some boys who, according to GRAN MADRID, face more than Spartan conditions. "

We fled our countries, we came looking for freedom and we are worse than in prison

," summarizes one of them.

Boys in their twenties,

stranded in this old military facility

- renamed by the central government as the Alcalá de Henares Reception, Emergency and Referral Center - can only leave it between five and eight thirty in the afternoon to go out and play sports. or take a walk. "

We want to get out of here and be able to study Spanish to earn a living,

" says a young man from Ghana in English, who, along with another compatriot, has been one of the most punctual in going out for a walk. However, they themselves are aware that this is a sine die desire. "I was in a hotel before and

some of the boys who were with me are now able to study, but we are still locked up here

," the boys lament bitterly.

The presence of journalists draws the attention of the immigrants and soon a group forms in which English, French and a few words in Arabic are spoken. Senegal, Ghana, Mali, the Maghreb... Despite coming from different languages ​​and regions, there is

a quorum

in their demands: "They hardly teach us Spanish," they protest. "

If you're lucky, there is class one day a week... but many times not even that

," says another boy.

Then, a worker interrupts the conversation: «

No, no, no, very bad. You can't talk

», She shouts at them. Next, her message changes recipient: "They are prohibited from speaking," she says, addressing the journalists of this newspaper.

JAVIER BARBANCHO

The scene causes some confusion. Many do not understand what this woman is saying and request a translation. However, the words have an effect on some boys who decide to follow their path. Others, however, decide to continue speaking without fear. «

The food is horrible, we can't wash ourselves every day, we can't wash our clothes; I've been wearing the same pants for 17 days, but some have been wearing the same clothes for months

," they complain while pointing out their own clothing. "I've been like this for two months," a boy interrupts, while

he shows his feet in which he is only wearing small bathing flip-flops

without socks in the middle of January.

A shortage that occurs despite the fact that residents of the area say that, both themselves as individuals and different associations, they have approached the center to lend clothes for those staying.

When it comes to recounting their living conditions,

the simile that constantly comes out of the mouths of young people is that of a "prison" to describe their living conditions and their limited freedom of action and movement

. In addition to dirt and problems with access to personal hygiene, they complain about the lack of medical care. «You are sick,

you say you need to see a doctor and they answer that tomorrow

. The next day, they tell you again that tomorrow... And so on," one of them protests.

Asked about the complaints of politicians and business associations, the young people respond: "What problems are we going to have?" If we don't know anyone here and

the only thing we do is go out for a while to the park

next to the shopping center.

A situation in legal limbo, about which the Spanish Network for Immigration and Refugee Assistance

presented an appeal last week before the National Court

, denouncing the expulsion "without justification or resolution by the Secretary of State for Migration" of more of 21 migrant users of the Alcalá de Henares center.

"Rocambolesque" deportation

The document indicated that the expulsion occurred on Tuesday, January 23, despite the fact that everyone had

recognized their situation of vulnerability, and reported that the departure of the 21 was "outrageous",

because they were expelled on up to two occasions in the same day, after having readmitted them after a first forced departure in the morning.

The platform explained in its brief, presented through contentious-administrative proceedings, that

this particular center welcomes 1,300 people

who have arrived in Spain in 2023 and who come from regions with a lot of pressure from irregular immigration, such as the Canary Islands.

Furthermore, it highlighted that on January 23, this expulsion was carried out, "

without giving them a solution or guidance regarding their legal situation in Spain

"; without basic information regarding his rights; without providing them with “any means of subsistence or housing solution. And, even less, without avenues for job training aimed at their integration," in line with what the immigrants themselves stated to this newspaper.

Some of these young people wear flip-flops and shorts all winter.JAVIER BARBANCHO

"Nor is this party aware that a referral has been activated to the reference social services at the municipal level or to the area competent in matters of social services and migrants - the General Directorate of Social Services of the Community of Madrid -," he added.

In this sense, the platform regretted that the Secretary of State for Migration has ignored these 21 people "

by expelling them without resources or means of defense or guidance

, without warning or proceeding to have a procedure arbitrated before the rest of the public administrations (... .), leading them to have to survive without any help and without clarifying their legal situation in Spain."

On the other hand, the Immigration Network criticized that they have been left

on the street with 125 euros

and wonders how a person can survive in Spain with that amount. "We can't imagine how long you can survive without benefits or help of any other kind," she said.

For all these reasons, the platform asked the National Court to study the

decision of the Secretary of State for Migration

of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration and declare this action contrary to the law and return the migrants to the center. from which they were expelled.

The residents of Ensanche de Alcalá and merchants in the area assured yesterday that so far there are no problems with coexistence when immigrants leave the center after five in the afternoon.

"They walk around without problems and there is no conflict

," noted one man.

Aurora, a neighbor of some nearby chalets, reiterates that the migrants are very peaceful and polite

.

However, there are people who

have decided to reinforce private security measures and have placed alarms in their chalets

, despite the fact that the National Police denies that there is an increase in crimes.

The Madrid president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, even said two weeks ago that Alcalá de Henares

was experiencing "authentic chaos"

after the arrival of 1,200 immigrants transferred by the central government from

the Canary Islands

, and noted that

"serious brawls have already occurred"

and "sexual assaults on women in the municipality are being investigated."

Hours later, the Government delegate in Madrid denied the existence of sexual assaults carried out by African migrants transferred from the Canary Islands to the Primo de Rivera barracks in Alcalá de Henares in recent weeks. "What the president said has nothing to do with reality, neither objective nor subjective. They are harmful, they generate alarm and go against coexistence. They

are not accredited by the data,"

he added.