Migration crisis hits Spain: thousands enter Ceuta from Morocco
Thousands of migrants have been crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco since Wednesday, causing a humanitarian emergency and sparking political backlash against Prime Minister Sánchez.
A migration crisis has engulfed the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta, with thousands of migrants entering from neighboring Morocco since Wednesday. Local authorities warned of a growing number of arrivals by sea, and Ceuta's President Juan Jesús Vivas described the situation as an "absolute humanitarian and social emergency," calling for government action. On Thursday, the influx escalated further as thousands more entered both by land and sea, overwhelming reception centers. Videos circulating online showed people using wetsuits and flotation devices to swim ashore.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on X that he is working with Moroccan authorities to restore normality as soon as possible and promised an immediate response. The border chaos comes just weeks after Spain's Supreme Court ruled that arrivals by sea cannot be directly deported. Political opponents, including far-right Vox leader Santiago Abascal (who called it an "invasion") and center-right People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, attacked Sánchez's migration policies.
The crisis also drew reactions from anti-immigration voices across Europe. Alice Weidel, co-chair of the far-right Alternative for Germany, and Manfred Weber, president of the center-right European People's Party, both emphasized the need to enforce the Migration Pact and return rules immediately and to reinforce Frontex. Tensions have been high in Spain since the Sánchez government launched a scheme allowing unauthorized migrants to apply for legal status—over one million have applied. This is the most significant border crisis in Ceuta since 2021, when at least 8,000 people entered from Morocco. Ceuta and Melilla are the only EU territories with land borders in Africa.
