Thousands of migrants entered Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta on Thursday after overwhelming security forces at the border in one of the largest mass crossings since the 2021 migration crisis. While Spanish authorities did not provide an official count, state broadcaster TVE estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 migrants reached Ceuta within a matter of hours. Many arrived by sea, while others breached the border fence separating the enclave from Morocco.
The sudden influx stretched police resources and renewed concerns over migration at the European Union's only land border with Africa. As arrivals continued, Ceuta's regional government urged Madrid to declare a state of emergency and send additional security personnel.
Spain's Guardia Civil said migrants were entering "en masse from the sea" through the Tarajal breakwater after overwhelming officers deployed in the area. Videos shared on social media showed groups of migrants swimming around the breakwater using inflatable tubes and improvised flotation devices.
Others forced open a gate in the border fence before rushing into Ceuta. Some were reportedly heard chanting, "Long live Spain," as they crossed into the enclave.
The developments resembled the May 2021 migration crisis, when around 10,000 migrants from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa entered Ceuta over several days. Along with the nearby enclave of Melilla, Ceuta represents the European Union's only land border with Africa and has long been a major entry point for migrants seeking to reach Europe.
CEUTA SEEKS EMERGENCY MEASURES
As the number of arrivals continued to increase, Ceuta regional leader Juan Jesus Vivas appealed to the Spanish government to declare a state of emergency, deploy the army to help restore order, strengthen security and temporarily close the border with Morocco to prevent additional crossings.
Spain's Defence Ministry, however, said there were no immediate plans to send military personnel.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez later said the government was "fully committed to providing an immediate response" to the developing situation.
"We are mobilising all necessary resources, working with Moroccan and international authorities, and preparing the necessary measures to restore normalcy as soon as possible," Sanchez said after speaking with Vivas.
"This is the moment to build solutions, with responsibility and cooperation," he added, without announcing any specific steps.
The Interior Ministry said it was working closely with Moroccan authorities and noted that thousands of attempted illegal crossings had already been prevented in recent days. It also pledged to swiftly deport those found to have entered Spain illegally, while accusing human smuggling networks of taking advantage of the situation.
SUPREME COURT RULING IN FOCUS
Some officials linked Thursday's surge to a recent Supreme Court ruling that prevented authorities from immediately returning migrants intercepted at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla under the enclaves' special border rejection rules. Although the ruling did not grant migrants the right to remain in Spain, officials believe it may have encouraged more people to attempt the risky sea crossing.
"It has been a slow trickle since the Supreme Court's ruling, but today has been an explosion," a Guardia Civil spokesperson told Reuters.
The judgment applies specifically to migrants arriving by sea, including those who swim around the border fences into the Spanish enclaves.
Separately, Spain's plan to regularise the status of around 500,000 undocumented migrants has also become a politically contentious issue. Although the programme only covers migrants already living in Spain before it took effect, critics argue it has created the perception that irregular migration could eventually result in legal residency.
PRESSURE GROWS ON SANCHEZ GOVERNMENT
The latest migration surge intensified criticism of Prime Minister Sanchez's Socialist government, which has generally pursued a more migrant-friendly policy than several other European administrations. Conservative opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo described the situation as a national security crisis.
"The situation in Ceuta is desperate. The government cannot look the other way... because we are facing a national security crisis," he wrote on X.
Meanwhile, migrant rights activist Zakaria Zarroqui said people continued gathering in the Moroccan border city of Fnideq in hopes of crossing into Ceuta.
"The situation remains out of control as we speak," Zarroqui said.
With migrants continuing to attempt the crossing, Spanish authorities now face the immediate challenge of restoring order in Ceuta while preventing further arrivals.
