Spain is sending in its military after thousands of migrants flooded into Ceuta, the small Spanish enclave on the North African coast that has once again become a pressure point for Europe’s border crisis, as reported by Fox News.
The Spanish government said the Armed Forces will back up the Civil Guard as officials try to restore order after the sudden mass crossing from Morocco. Local leaders warned that the city could no longer manage the sheer volume of arrivals.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande Marlaska are expected to travel to Ceuta as Madrid rushes to contain the fallout. That is usually what happens when political leaders discover that border control is not just a slogan, but the foundation of national sovereignty.
The surge is being described as one of the largest migrant waves to hit Ceuta since 2021. That year, more than 8,000 people entered the territory over two days, setting off a diplomatic fight between Spain and Morocco.
“The situation is absolute chaos,” Rachid Sbihi, who heads an association representing Spain’s Civil Guard officers in Ceuta, told The Associated Press. “It’s not possible to give precise numbers, but there are thousands of migrants crossing.”
Officials in Ceuta said at least nine people died Thursday, though they did not immediately detail the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The Associated Press reported that bodies were seen floating in the water while rescue and security operations were still underway.
https://rumble.com/v7diryu-spain-sends-military-as-illegal-alien-horde-engulfs-border-enclave-death-to.html#:~:text=%3Cscript%3E!function(r,div%22%3A%22rumble_v7bc8tm%22%7D)%3B%3C/script%3E
Video from the area showed large groups entering through the Tarajal border zone. Many migrants swam around coastal barriers separating Morocco from Spanish territory, while others arrived by boat.
Most of those seen crossing appeared to be young men, though families with women and children were also among the crowds. The scenes were another grim reminder that once a border is overwhelmed, humanitarian risk and public security problems arrive together.
Spanish officials said Morocco is cooperating with efforts to regain control of the crossing points. Spain’s Interior Ministry said Moroccan police have stopped numerous migrants attempting to enter and that both governments are working to return illegal entrants as quickly as possible.
Authorities have not named one clear cause for the sudden surge. Ceuta officials have pointed to a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling that limits the immediate return of migrants who arrive by sea without due process.
Some migration advocates questioned whether that ruling alone could have driven thousands of people to move at once. Still, in Europe’s migration debate, even the appearance of a legal opening can travel fast, while politicians pretend incentives do not matter.
The crisis has already moved beyond Spain. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni threatened to suspend Italy’s participation in the Schengen open border arrangement with Spain, saying such a step would be necessary “to defend our borders and ensure the safety of our citizens.”
Ceuta has long been one of Europe’s most active migration flashpoints. The Spanish territory sits on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast and is viewed by many migrants from across Africa as a gateway into the European Union.
Migrants regularly try to reach Ceuta by swimming from Morocco or by climbing the heavily fortified border fence. For years, European governments have talked about compassion while frontline communities have been left to absorb the consequences.
Spain’s Interior Ministry said nearly 3,000 migrants had entered Ceuta by land or sea this year through the middle of July. This week’s crossings are expected to dramatically increase those figures and intensify demands for a firmer response.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Spain’s Embassy in Washington, the Department of Homeland Security, the Center for Immigration Studies and the Migration Policy Institute for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
