EditCeuta overwhelmed as nearly 50,000 cross from Morocco in a day
Italy threatens Schengen suspension, France tightens borders and von der Leyen calls the scenes “unacceptable”
Around 49,000–60,000 migrants crossed into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco in roughly 24 hours starting late 30 July, creating one of the largest single-day irregular arrivals in recent EU history and overwhelming the city of about 83,000–85,000 residents.
Spanish authorities and local leaders reported the bulk of the crossings occurring by sea – many swimming or using inflatable rings and tires around a breakwater at Tarajal – and by land attempts at the border fence. Estimates varied: Spain’s Interior Ministry and Department of National Security initially cited more than 49,000, while Ceuta’s regional president Juan Jesús Vivas put the figure near 60,000. At least 7,000 of those who entered were reported as minors. Smaller numbers (300–400) also reached the nearby enclave of Melilla.
The human cost was high. Spanish authorities recovered at least 19 bodies from the water, with some later reports citing 24–34 deaths from drowning or related incidents during the rush. Reception centers were overwhelmed; migrants slept in streets and parks. Clashes at the border included torched vehicles on the Moroccan side.
By midday on Friday, the flow had reversed sharply. Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that more than 25,000 people had already returned to Morocco, many voluntarily due to overcrowding, lack of food and shelter, and guidance from Spanish military personnel, at a rate approaching 150 per minute at peak. Spain and Morocco reinforced the border with water cannons, additional security, and Spanish military platoons, diving units, and naval assets. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta, described the surge as an “attack” on Spain’s territorial integrity, and pledged rapid returns of those who entered illegally while working with Moroccan authorities.
Spanish officials linked the sudden surge in part to a recent Supreme Court ruling that restricted summary (“hot”) returns of migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla. Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres and others suggested the ruling may have been interpreted as creating an opportunity, combined with possible relaxed Moroccan border controls and misinformation. Irregular entries to Ceuta had already been rising earlier in 2026.
Moroccan security forces were visibly present in some footage and appeared relatively passive or even traffic-directing in places, which many observers (including some Spanish officials and local reporting) interpreted as facilitation or at least deliberate non-interference. Morocco has used migration pressure against Spain before (notably 2021).
Thousands of military-age men were brought in trucks to the Moroccan-Spanish border in Ceuta. Most of them freed criminals pardoned by the king yesterday!
Notice the Moroccan officer assisting them. This was all coordinated by the Moroccan government. pic.twitter.com/pERBedfwq3
— Dr. Maalouf (@realMaalouf) July 30, 2026
European divisions widen
The scale of the arrivals quickly spilled beyond Spain, intensifying debates over EU external borders, the Schengen free-movement area, and national migration policies.
Italy delivered the sharpest response. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the images “shocking” and said uncontrolled illegal immigration poses “a real threat to the security of Europe’s borders.” She stated Italy was ready to take “extraordinary measures,” including suspending the Schengen agreement with Spain, to defend its borders. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani went further, saying he favoured closing Schengen to Spain and blaming Madrid’s recent policy of regularizing hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants as a pull factor that “encourages human trafficking.” Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares rejected the comments as “inappropriate” and “partisan demagoguery,” summoning the Italian ambassador in protest.
Sono favorevole alla chiusura dello spazio Schengen con la Spagna e ho piena fiducia nell’operato del Ministro Piantedosi. L’immigrazione irregolare e incontrollata rappresenta un pericolo per la sicurezza nazionale. Le immagini che arrivano da Ceuta dimostrano come la scelta del…
— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) July 30, 2026
France moved to protect its own borders. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez ordered an immediate increase in checks along the Spanish frontier and activated a rapid intervention force for deeper controls. President Emmanuel Macron’s office offered support to Spain, including through Frontex if requested. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen called for France to strengthen border controls without delay.
European Union institutions condemned the scenes. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the images from Ceuta as “unacceptable,” stating that “we cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules.” She called for dangerous crossings to stop immediately, smuggling networks to be dismantled, and returns to be swift “as our rules allow.” Von der Leyen tasked Internal Affairs and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner (already working closely with Spain and ready to travel to hotspots, including potential Frontex reinforcement) and Mediterranean Commissioner Dubravka Šuica (in contact with Moroccan counterparts) to support containment efforts. The Commission reiterated ongoing operational and financial support for Spain.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz demanded that Morocco “take back illegal migrants immediately.” Finland’s Interior Minister Mari Rantanen backed Meloni’s Schengen stance and said Spain had failed to protect the EU’s external border. Centre-right European People’s Party leader Manfred Weber urged swift enforcement of the EU Migration Pact and returns regulation, while far-right figures across Europe (including Germany’s Alice Weidel) warned against a repeat of 2015-style pressures and called for stricter border enforcement.
Marine Le Pen, presidential candidate from France’s far-right National Rally, said that if she wins an election next year she would restrict free movement under Schengen to European nationals.
The crisis has exposed fractures in EU solidarity on migration. Italy’s threat to suspend Schengen cooperation with Spain is largely symbolic in practical terms (the two countries do not share a land border), but it underscores political tensions between governments with differing approaches. Spain continues to emphasize cooperation with Morocco and rapid returns, while several partners prioritize preventing secondary movements into the Schengen area. As of Friday midday, mass crossings had largely halted and returns were accelerating, but the political and diplomatic aftershocks across Europe remain active.
Edited by g.g.
Caption: Groups of migrants return to Morocco through the Tarajal border crossing in Ceuta, Spain, 31 July 2026. Violent clashes occurred along the border perimeter as migrants attempted to enter Ceuta and Melilla from Morocco. EPA/REDUAN DRIS
Updated: July 31, 2026 - 15:35
