The Government channels the migratory crisis in Ceuta with the endorsement of the European Union and more than 70,000 returns to Morocco

The Government faces this Wednesday a new phase of the migratory crisis in Ceuta with the backing of the European Union and a figure that allows measuring the rapid change experienced since last Thursday. More than 70,000 of the 72,000 people who entered the autonomous city have already returned to Morocco, according to the latest balance presented by Fernando Grande-Marlaska.

The Minister of Interior conveyed the data after the extraordinary meeting with his European counterparts, convened to analyze the massive entry and its possible consequences for the rest of the Union. The Twenty-Seven recognized the "rapid and effective" response of the Spanish authorities and highlighted that the crisis remained contained in Ceuta, without movements towards the Peninsula or other community countries.

The support allows the Executive to defend the management deployed during the last days, marked by the arrival of around 3,000 agents of the National Police, the Civil Guard and the Armed Forces, cooperation with Morocco and the acceleration of returns through the Tarajal border. Marlaska considers that the Spanish action prevented a local emergency from reaching the Schengen area.

The situation is still far from having normalized. Thousands of people remain scattered across beaches, mountains, neighborhoods and the surroundings of the Temporary Immigrant Stay Center. The reception network remains saturated and Ceuta is already attending to 862 migrant minors, although it estimates that the real number will end up exceeding a thousand.

The administrations also do not share a single calculation of how many people remain in the city. The Interior Ministry speaks of around 2,000, the Government Delegation managed an estimate of 2,500 this Monday, and the Ceuta Executive places the figure between 3,000 and 5,000. The lack of a complete individual registry explains part of a difference that continues to condition the humanitarian response.

Europe recognizes Spanish action

The European meeting ended with a clear statement of solidarity towards Spain. The Interior Ministers and the countries associated with Schengen praised the work done during the first days and expressed their condolences for the people who died while trying to reach Ceuta by swimming or crossing the border.

"More than 70,000 of the people who entered have already left the autonomous city", Marlaska explained at the end of the meeting. The minister attributed the pace of returns to collaboration with Rabat and assured that both countries continue to work to resolve the situation of those who remain in Spanish territory.

The balance brings together departures of a different nature. A large majority of Moroccan citizens voluntarily returned to their country during the first hours, after both governments enabled the Tarajal crossing and organized transfers to the border. The forced returns of those who remain in Ceuta now require individual processing.

Marlaska insisted that the Schengen area was protected at all times. Since 1991, Ceuta has maintained a special regime that prevents direct travel to the Peninsula without first passing the corresponding controls. European authorities confirmed that no movements towards other member states have been detected.

The EU Council simultaneously called for improving early warning systems, strengthening surveillance of external borders, and increasing monitoring of social networks used by organizations dedicated to human trafficking. It also called for deepening cooperation with countries of origin and transit.

The meeting left pending the debate on how such a high number of people could gather without intelligence services anticipating the dimension of the entry. Marlaska maintained that the CNI and the rest of Spanish and European organizations lacked a report warning of a movement of this magnitude.

The meeting also included a reproach for the extraordinary regularization approved by Spain. The European Commissioner for Migration, Magnus Brunner, described it as a "bad signal" for other countries, although he ruled out any direct relationship between that process and what happened in Ceuta for now. European support has focused on the immediate response offered during the crisis.

Three calculations about the people who remain in Ceuta

The figure presented by Marlaska reduces the number of people still remaining in the city to about 2,000. The data comes from subtracting the more than 70,000 returns from the 72,000 entries counted by the Interior Ministry. The Government Delegation had an slightly higher estimate hours earlier, around 2,500 migrants.

The Government of Ceuta maintains another calculation. Juan Jesús Vivas's Executive estimates that between 3,000 and 5,000 people remain and admits that it is impossible to offer an exact number. During these days, it has also raised its initial estimate of entries to 80,000, above state records.

The differences respond to counts made at different times, the dispersion of migrants, and the absence of complete identification. Part of those who remain in Ceuta stay hidden in mountains, beaches, cemeteries, and improvised settlements, while others gather near the CETI or go to food distribution points.

The spokesperson for the Ceuta Government, Alejandro Ramírez, has demanded more agents and extraordinary measures from the State. The city maintains that some neighborhoods continue to endure complicated situations and that there is still much to do to recover normality. The spread of messages about a possible new attempt at a massive entry around August 15 is also a concern.

Return procedures must now comply with the doctrine established by the Supreme Court. The high court determined that the immediate border rejection provided for in the Immigration Law cannot be applied to those who are intercepted at sea when trying to reach Ceuta by swimming or in a boat.

These people must be identified and have legal assistance, an interpreter, and the possibility of requesting international protection. The ruling allows for border rejection when a physical containment element, such as fences, is overcome, but requires the use of the ordinary procedure in maritime accesses.

The Interior Ministry installed a floating barrier of about 500 meters next to the breakwater during the weekend to reinforce surveillance and adapt the device to the judicial resolution. The Government maintains that this action facilitates safe intervention and allows determining the point at which each person tries to cross the border.

The latest official balance places the number of deceased persons on the Spanish side at 75, most of them drowned or crushed during the avalanche. The Government of Ceuta raises its count to 79, and Morocco has acknowledged another eleven deaths in its territory. The Civil Guard continues to search the coast and has opened an office in El Tarajal to collect reports from relatives looking for missing persons.

The emergency is concentrated on minors

The protection of children and adolescents has become the main urgency for the coming days. Ceuta has under its care 862 migrant minors with an ordinary capacity of barely 29 places, which represents an over-occupation of 2,872%. Local authorities expect the figure to soon exceed one thousand.

The minors are distributed among the La Esperanza center, the Tarajal Nueva Esperanza warehouse, and two spaces set up in Piniers. Education has also ceded two school centers to expand reception, especially for girls. There are still unidentified minors sleeping on the street or remaining hidden for fear of being returned.

The Government announced this Tuesday an extraordinary allocation of 25 million euros to reinforce resources, hire staff, and guarantee specialized care. This amount is in addition to the 5.5 million assigned in July to Ceuta within the funds allocated to the protection of migrant children.

The next measure will be the transfer of part of these minors to the Peninsula. The reform of article 35 of the Immigration Law establishes a binding and solidarity reception among all autonomous communities when the Canary Islands, Ceuta, or Melilla widely exceed their capacity. The distribution takes as a reference a maximum of 32.6 places per 100,000 inhabitants.

The Popular Party has anticipated its political rejection of its communities assuming the reception, although it assures that it will comply with the law. Miguel Tellado has demanded that migrants return "where they entered," while Alma Ezcurra has stated that the regional governments of the PP will not accept the consequences of the central Executive's management.

The popular position reopens the territorial clash that already caused the rupture of several regional governments of the PP and the far-right Vox in 2024. The protection of minors remains in the hands of public administrations and requires an individual evaluation of each case, regardless of the political confrontation over the distribution.

An eventual repatriation must first locate the family, verify the reception conditions, and guarantee the best interest of the minor. If that reunification is safe, the child can return with their relatives. When there are risks of abandonment, violence, or lack of protection, they must remain within the Spanish system.

The Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, will travel to Ceuta to coordinate identification, care, and initial referrals. Until that process concludes, the 862 minors already located will remain under the guardianship of a city whose ordinary network was prepared to care for only 29.