Spain Faces Fresh Migration Emergency as Thousands Enter Ceuta From Morocco

Spain is confronting a new migration crisis after thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, prompting an emergency response from the government and renewed diplomatic tensions in Europe.

A police source said around 40,000 migrants have entered Ceuta in recent days, nearly half the territory’s population of about 80,000.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was expected to visit the enclave on Friday alongside the Interior Minister as authorities intensified efforts to manage the situation.

The government has deployed military personnel to strengthen security along the border, while France announced stricter border controls with Spain in response to the surge.

Journalists on the ground witnessed hundreds of migrants, including women and children, swimming around the border fence separating Morocco from Ceuta before making their way into Spanish territory.

Police said at least 18 people have lost their lives during the dangerous crossings.

“There was a steady stream of people all night long,” a police source said, adding that migrants “continued to arrive overnight and are still arriving.”

The reasons behind the sudden increase in migration remain unclear.

The situation has already generated political and diplomatic fallout.

Italy has urged that Spain be suspended from the Schengen Area, accusing Madrid of failing to contain the influx, while Spain rejected the proposal and accused Italy of politicising the crisis.

Meanwhile, officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration also cited footage from Ceuta while reiterating their anti-immigration position.

Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s two enclaves in North Africa, remain the European Union’s only land borders with the African continent and have frequently been at the centre of migration pressures.

Many migrants celebrated after reaching Ceuta, with some thanking Spanish police and chanting, “Bye bye Morocco, hello Spain.”

Although Morocco has not officially explained the surge, an anonymous Moroccan official confirmed that discussions had taken place between Rabat and Madrid.

The latest developments mirror the 2021 migration crisis, when more than 10,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta after Morocco temporarily relaxed border controls during a diplomatic dispute with Spain over Western Sahara.

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