Ceuta Migrant Crisis

At least 57 people have died and up to 60,000 migrants entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco in a sudden mass border breach triggered by social media rumours of an open crossing. Ceuta's regional president Juan Jesús Vivas declared an absolute humanitarian and social emergency in the territory of 80,000 residents.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who visited Ceuta on Friday, called the breach a violation of Spain's territorial integrity and blamed smuggling mafias. The government deployed 60 troops to reinforce border forces. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that the vast majority of those who entered have already returned to Morocco.

The crisis reverberated across Europe. Italy suspended Schengen free-travel arrangements with Spain by sea and air, while Germany announced extended border controls. Spain's Supreme Court meanwhile ruled that migrants intercepted at sea cannot be returned to Morocco, barring pushbacks at the border.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has taunted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over a mass migration surge into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, urging him to open Spain's doors to residents of Gaza seeking refuge.

In a Spanish-language post on X mocking Sánchez's commitment to immigration and "human diversity," Ben-Gvir described the offer as an "excellent opportunity" for Spain.

The provocation follows an influx of roughly 60,000 migrants crossing from Morocco into Ceuta since Thursday, according to the enclave's president, Juan Jesús Vivas. The Spanish government estimates the figure at 50,000 and says 35,000 have already returned to Morocco voluntarily. Sánchez attributed the surge to human-trafficking networks exploiting a Supreme Court ruling that blocked immediate deportations. The crisis has prompted several European Union countries to call for Spain's suspension from the Schengen travel area.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called the mass crossing of some 60,000 migrants from Morocco into Spain's enclave of Ceuta "terrible" and warned Americans they could face a similar situation within three years if Democrats win the next election. Speaking at a cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump compared the incident to an invasion, while Vice President J.D. Vance thanked voters for keeping the U.S. border from resembling the scenes. At least 57 migrants have died, including by drowning and in a crush at a breakwater barrier.

The White House blamed the crisis on far-left globalist policies, and the State Department called it a direct result of deliberate Spanish government efforts to facilitate illegal migration. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who deployed the army and visited Ceuta, attributed the surge to human trafficking mafias. Spanish authorities say more than 48,000 migrants have already returned to Morocco.

Elon Musk likened the scenes to the film "World War Z" and warned the influx would destroy Spain's budget. The State Department separately praised Morocco's King Mohammed VI and reiterated support for Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, visiting Ceuta on Thursday, condemned the mass crossings as a violation of Spain's territorial integrity and called it an attack on national sovereignty, after Italy pushed to suspend Spain from Schengen over the border crisis.

Some 50,000 migrants entered Ceuta irregularly from Morocco on Thursday, though more than half had already returned to Morocco by Friday. Sánchez thanked Morocco for its cooperation in speeding repatriations and blamed the surge on criminal networks exploiting a recent Supreme Court ruling on border returns. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska will remain in Ceuta in the coming days.

Ceuta's regional president Juan Jesús Vivas declared a total humanitarian and social emergency, urging Madrid to declare a national state of emergency — a step the Interior Ministry has ruled out. Up to 20 people drowned attempting the crossing, and the government plans to install a buoy barrier at the Tarajal breakwater.

Czech opposition leader Andrej Babiš has called for Spain's immediate suspension from the Schengen area, branding Madrid's migration policy "absolutely scandalous" after tens of thousands of migrants surged into Ceuta from Morocco. Tomio Okamura echoed the demand, while Petr Macinka warned the crisis poses severe complications for the entire Schengen zone, though he noted Ceuta and Melilla sit outside the passport-free area. The death toll from the crossing has climbed to at least 57, most of whom drowned attempting the swim.

The backlash follows Spain's decision to offer legal residency to migrants present before January 2026 with clean criminal records, a measure that drew nearly 1.2 million applications. Roughly two-thirds of applicants originate from Central and South America, with Colombia, Morocco and Venezuela accounting for half of all requests.