Thousands of migrants crossed into the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Thursday, primarily by swimming, leading to what authorities described as “absolute chaos.” The influx overwhelmed the local police force, with state television TVE reporting 2,000 to 3,000 crossings, though Reuters could not immediately confirm this figure. Nine deaths were reported by Spain's government delegation in Ceuta, with bodies seen floating in the water. This surge follows a Spanish Supreme Court ruling allowing migrants intercepted at sea to avoid immediate return.
In response to the crisis, the Spanish government announced the deployment of military units, including three platoons of 20 soldiers each, a diving unit, and a military vessel, by Friday. Special police intervention units were also reinforced to 200 personnel. The Ceuta regional government had earlier requested the deployment of the army and the closure of the border. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska plan to visit Ceuta.
The Spanish Interior Ministry is collaborating closely with Morocco to manage the situation, noting that Morocco had prevented thousands of migrants from crossing in recent days. The ministry, however, stated that it could not declare a national emergency over migration concerns, as migration flows are not considered a risk to national security under current legislation. The incident is reminiscent of a 2021 event when approximately 10,000 people entered the enclave from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa. The conservative opposition People’s Party leader, Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, called it a “national security crisis.”
Economically, the incident has sparked concerns and international reactions. Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni threatened to suspend Spain from the Schengen agreement, though Italy does not share a border with Spain, citing security concerns related to irregular migration. Spain’s foreign minister responded by calling Italy's remarks “unbecoming.” The European People’s Party (EPP) in the EU Parliament expressed shock at the images, highlighting the broader geopolitical and social implications of the migrant influx. Spain's Socialist government, known for its pro-migrant stance, recently launched a program to provide legal status for 500,000 undocumented migrants, which has led to a significant increase in applications.
