The turmoil in Ceuta has plunged the leftist minority government in Madrid into a significant crisis. Following a massive influx of migrants from Morocco, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has decided to take decisive action just weeks after returning from his summer vacation in the North African enclave. In response to accusations from the conservative governor of Ceuta, who claimed that Madrid had "abandoned" the city, the central government has abruptly shifted its strategy and taken command of the situation.
For weeks, ministers in Madrid had given the impression that the remaining migrants would voluntarily return home, similar to the more than 70,000 individuals who swam to Spain at the end of July and subsequently returned to Morocco. Now, during an extraordinary session, the National Security Council has declared a "situation of interest for national security" in Ceuta. Following a cabinet decision, Territorial Minister Ángel Víctor Torres has been designated as responsible for managing the crisis. Supported by a committee of eleven ministers and representatives from the Ceuta regional government, Torres aims to restore "full normality" as swiftly as possible.
This unification of command had been requested by the regional president of Ceuta and the conservative People's Party (PP) since late July. On Tuesday evening, hundreds of demonstrators in Ceuta accused the Madrid government of having "abandoned" their city. Defense Minister Robles acknowledged failures before a parliamentary committee, expressing apologies to all those in Ceuta who might feel "abandoned or insufficiently supported." She reassured them that the government stands by their side and shares in their suffering. Six other ministers will participate in a communication offensive, addressing parliament by Monday, with Sánchez expected to follow on September 3.
Immigration as a Pivotal Election Issue
Amid the ongoing loss of control in Ceuta, internal political pressure is mounting on Sánchez's leftist minority government, which has made the most liberal migration policies in Europe its hallmark. With the current mass regularization efforts, the government is emphasizing integration over isolation. As reported by the newspaper El País, "immigration will be the decisive issue to win the next elections," referring to the parliamentary elections that must take place by summer 2027.
The opposition PP is criticizing the government for its handling of the "invasion" in Ceuta, labeling it a failure of migration and security policy. They are calling for stricter border controls and seeking to complicate the legalization process for foreigners in Spain. According to the state observatory for racism and xenophobia, the migration crisis in Ceuta has led to an explosion of xenophobic hate messages online, exceeding 3,000 per day.
New government coordinator Torres stated that repatriating migrants back to Morocco is a priority for the government. The PP demands that all individuals return, including unaccompanied minors and potential asylum seekers. Torres dismissed this demand as populist, arguing that it is not legally feasible.
Unreliable Migrant Data in Ceuta
As of now, the central government has been unable to provide reliable figures regarding the number of migrants, minors, and asylum seekers residing in Ceuta since the end of July. The regional government estimates around 10,000 individuals in the city, which has a population of 84,000. In Madrid, officials emphasize that 90 to 95 percent of the over 70,000 individuals who arrived in Ceuta have voluntarily returned to Morocco.
According to Minister Torres, approximately 1,400 minors have been registered so far. However, Economic Minister Carlos Cuerpo has indicated that 2,900 children and adolescents have been identified. Around 1,800 adults have been accommodated in two military tent camps since Friday, while about 4,000 individuals are receiving humanitarian aid, which is becoming increasingly critical as initial cases of scabies and tuberculosis have emerged.
A collective expulsion is legally impossible without individual case examinations. Yet, authorities are currently ill-equipped to handle thousands of cases, having struggled to even remove people from the streets. Several sports stadiums are now being considered for this purpose. For minors, medical assessments are often required to determine age, followed by the preparation of detailed individual reports. Before any repatriation to Morocco, guardians must be identified and confirmed to pose no danger to the minors, ensuring they do not face persecution that would warrant asylum claims.
According to the latest figures from the Attorney General's office, by the end of 2024, there were over 16,000 unaccompanied minors in Spain. Four were repatriated to Colombia, three to Romania, and one to France—none to Morocco since 2021. Following the last significant influx into Ceuta five years ago, several hundred minors were sent back to Morocco, a decision that was later deemed illegal by the Supreme Court.
As reported by faz.net.
