Spain’s government pushed back against European partners’ criticism over the Ceuta migration crisis, saying the Schengen zone’s integrity had been fully preserved.
Government sources said none of the roughly 50,000 people who entered the enclave irregularly had been able to travel to the mainland or wider Europe, citing a specific border control regime in place since Spain joined the Schengen Agreement.
Officials said Ceuta and Melilla occupy a unique position within Schengen because controls apply not only at the Morocco border but also at maritime and air exits to the mainland. Anyone leaving must identify themselves to the National Police, and carriers are required to verify passengers’ documents.
The government described this arrangement as a double filter enshrined in the Declaration on Ceuta and Melilla attached to Spain’s Schengen Accession Agreement, arguing that irregular entry into Ceuta does not automatically translate into access to the rest of Europe.
Of the roughly 50,000 who crossed, more than 48,000 had already been returned to Morocco within 48 hours, officials said.
Madrid also rejected any link between the influx and an extraordinary regularization program it has backed. Applicants must prove residence in Spain before January 1, 2026 and at least five continuous months of stay, conditions that exclude those who entered Ceuta on July 30.
Officials blamed people-trafficking networks for spreading a misleading interpretation of a recent Supreme Court ruling on the return of immigrants who swim into Ceuta. The government said the ruling does not grant any right to remain in Spain and only requires that returns be handled through standard legal procedure.
