The leader of Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta has called for the establishment of detention centers to manage and deport thousands of undocumented migrants and asylum seekers, following a mass border crossing from Morocco in late July.
In statements to the press, Mayor and President of Ceuta, Juan Jesus Vivas, of the conservative Popular Party (PP), stressed: “We must set up a center to hold foreigners, where these individuals can be detained and kept under supervision.” He argued that this measure “must be implemented urgently” so that migrants “do not wander our streets” and to facilitate quicker and easier deportation processes.
Mass Border Crossing
In late July, a large number of asylum seekers and migrants swam or used rubber boats to cross from Morocco into Ceuta, sparking debates about the European Union's external borders and fueling tensions between Spain and other EU member states.
Spanish authorities on Monday updated estimates of the number of irregular migrants who made the journey to around 80,000. The Spanish government said 70,000 migrants and asylum seekers had returned to Morocco within two days.
However, thousands remained, including hundreds of children accompanying families who cannot be deported under Spanish law, struggling to access food, water, shelter, and sanitation, putting immense pressure on Ceuta's resources.
The future of these individuals has ignited a political confrontation between Spain's left-wing central government and regions led by the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party, which oppose the acceptance of accompanied children under current legal provisions.
Reactions and Tensions
Mayor Vivas estimates that between 8,000 and 11,000 migrants remain in the territory and described the situation as “unsustainable.” He dismissed government figures suggesting only 2,500 asylum seekers and irregular migrants were still present.
Police reported that about 5,000 Ceuta residents gathered in a protest on Sunday to denounce the handling of the migration crisis, which they claim has made the enclave unsafe.
In response, Spain's minister for territorial relations, Angel Victor Torres, reassured Ceuta's residents that police and military forces had been reinforced, including a 40% increase in Civil Guard personnel.
