Ministry for Home Affairs allocates 853,500 euros to Spanish Red Cross for programmes to support Internment Centres for Foreign Nationals

This subsidy will be used to finance the support provided to people admitted to these centres and in particular: to language interpretation for contact with relatives abroad and the processing of documentation; to re-establish contact with family in Spain and with countries of origin; to offer social mediation to foster dialogue and mutual understanding between those admitted to the centres and the authorities in order to prevent or reduce possible conflicts; to provide all the information needed on requirements to apply for international protection; and to act as partners in the planning and development tasks associated with all sorts of activities and the necessary organisational procedures stemming from those activities.

Under this partnership agreement, the Ministry for Home Affairs will also provide the Spanish Red Cross personnel with specific and separate areas in which to carry out individual, professional and independent services to the people admitted to these centres.

This agreement not only demonstrates the commitment from the Ministry for Home Affairs to the people admitted to Internment Centres for Foreign Nationals (CIE) in Spain but also provides and fosters an urgent, appropriate and effective response to the needs shown by people temporarily admitted to these centres.

Creation of an Oversight Committee

Furthermore, the partnership agreement covers the creation of an oversight committee that will be made up of two representatives from the Ministry for Home Affairs and the Red Cross who will meet on a regular basis to review progress under the agreement, resolve any possible situations, and propose and agree on measures to help improve the development of activities provided under the agreement.

The agreement highlights that the admittance of foreign citizens to Internment Centres for Foreign Nationals (CIE), which are not penitentiary in nature, must take place in an orderly fashion and under judicial control. Their function and purpose is to guarantee the effective nature of both the processing and implementation of expulsion and return measures that may be applied to those admitted, considering the admittance thereof throughout their time at the centre as an interim or provisional measure.