Juan Jesus Vivas, the leader of the autonomous Spanish city of Ceuta located in North Africa, declared on Thursday that the influx of hundreds of migrants from Morocco over the past week is overwhelming local resources. He has called on the government in Madrid to intervene.
According to reports, estimates from Spanish media suggest that between 2,000 and 3,000 individuals may have entered Ceuta on Thursday alone, although this figure has not been confirmed by the Spanish Civil Guard. The public broadcaster RTVE noted that hundreds of people arrived in Ceuta that day, contributing to a total of over 1,500 who have crossed the border in the past two weeks, primarily young Moroccan migrants.
An AFP reporter on the Moroccan side of the border observed that hundreds of individuals had gathered near the border with Fnideq, awaiting entry into Spanish territory, with most migrants crossing by swimming.
Military Forces Assist Civil Guard
Ceuta, separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar, has long been a hotspot for migrants seeking to reach Europe. Security forces have recovered the bodies of nine individuals attempting to swim into Ceuta, according to police sources cited by El Pais.
The Spanish government has mobilized 60 military personnel to assist the overwhelmed Civil Guard at the Tarajal border crossing, as reported by The Guardian. This point of entry connects the Spanish city with Morocco.
Local Leader Sounds Alarm
Vivas warned that Ceuta is facing a humanitarian and security emergency, stating that reception centers for unaccompanied minors are operating well above their intended capacities. In the past months, authorities have retrieved the bodies of 60 individuals from the sea, according to RTVE.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska plan to visit Ceuta on Friday.
Italy Considers Schengen Suspension
The Italian government is contemplating suspending the Schengen agreement with Spain, sources from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office have indicated. Meloni stated that the events in Ceuta illustrate that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders.
She has consulted with Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi regarding this issue. “Italy will not remain passive. We are convening the relevant bodies and, after these meetings, we are prepared to take extraordinary measures to protect our borders and citizens’ safety, including suspending the Schengen area with Spain,” Meloni declared.
On the matter of illegal immigration, she emphasized that the government will not yield an inch, reiterating the importance of border defense, stopping human trafficking, and ensuring effective repatriations.
The Italian Foreign Minister has expressed support for suspending the Schengen agreement with Spain, stating that irregular and uncontrolled immigration is a danger to national security. He criticized Madrid’s decision to grant Spanish citizenship, and therefore European citizenship, to over 500,000 illegal immigrants, claiming it encourages human trafficking.
