On the night from Thursday to Friday, the situation with illegal migration in Ceuta escalated again. Two minors crossed the maritime border, taking advantage of thick fog that hindered the work of border services. In recent weeks, the number of such attempts has increased noticeably, putting additional strain on local services and infrastructure.
In recent days, new cases of illegal border crossings have been recorded in Ceuta almost daily. Just in the past 24 hours, around 15 people voluntarily turned themselves in to the police for registration and identification. Authorities are conducting the necessary checks to determine the age and status of the arrivals.
Most of the minors who reach the city are placed in temporary accommodation centers, which have long operated over capacity. With an official capacity of 132, about 480 children and adolescents are currently housed in these facilities. This overload is forcing local authorities to seek ways to transfer them to other regions of the country.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that many migrants try to cross the border by swimming, relying on weather conditions and poor visibility. However, not everyone manages to reach the Spanish shore. Moroccan forces regularly patrol coastal waters, while the Spanish side deploys maritime police, coast guard, and special units to prevent tragedies.
Despite the measures being taken, tragic incidents continue to occur. This week, another body of a young man, estimated to be between 16 and 20 years old, was discovered in the Fuente-Cabayo area. Since the beginning of the year, 19 bodies have been found in the waters off Ceuta; all the victims are young men who tried to reach Spain by swimming.
The flow of migrants is coming not only by sea but also across the land border. The asylum office registers dozens of new applications every day. After completing the registration process, adults are sent to the Temporary Reception Center for Migrants, while minors are placed in specialized institutions.
Local authorities admit that resources for housing minors are nearly exhausted. At the same time, representatives of the central government claim that the situation in the Temporary Reception Center is less strained, although unofficial reports indicate the number of residents there exceeds 800, while the official capacity is around 600.
To ease the strain on infrastructure, authorities regularly arrange the transfer of migrants to other regions of Spain. The most recent transfer took place last week, when 48 people—mostly from Algeria, Sudan, and Guinea—were sent to the mainland. Similar measures are applied to minors: at the end of July, 27 children from Morocco were relocated to Andalusia as part of an interregional agreement.
New negotiations between the autonomous communities on the relocation of three thousand unaccompanied migrant minors who arrived in the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla are expected in the near future. Authorities hope these measures will help stabilize the situation and ease the pressure on local services.
The migration crisis in Ceuta remains one of the most pressing issues for the region. Authorities continue to seek a balance between ensuring security, providing humanitarian support, and fulfilling international obligations.
