Spain’s Interior Ministry has sent more police to Ceuta to accelerate the expulsion of irregular migrants. The move follows a surge in arrivals and growing concerns over public safety. Additional units will also patrol city streets.
Spain’s Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has ordered a significant increase in police presence in Ceuta, deploying around twenty new National Police officers specialized in immigration to accelerate the expulsion process for thousands of irregular migrants who remain in the city after the mass entry on July 30. These officers join the six-member team from the Unidad Central de Expulsiones y Repatriaciones (UCER), already working to identify and process adults for return to Morocco.
The Interior Ministry’s latest move comes amid mounting pressure to restore order and address local concerns about security. Marlaska emphasized that no one entering Ceuta or Melilla irregularly will be allowed to stay or be transferred to mainland Spain, except in rare cases of extreme vulnerability. He urged would-be migrants not to trust criminal networks, underlining that regularization will not be granted except in exceptional circumstances.
Official figures from the ministry estimate that 72,000 people crossed into Ceuta during the July incident, with 70,000 reportedly returned to Morocco. However, government sources now suggest the total number may be closer to 80,000, echoing claims made by Ceuta’s president, Juan José Vivas. The deployment also includes 50 officers from the Unidad de Prevención y Reacción (UPR), drawn from Madrid, Alicante, and Seville, to reinforce street patrols after residents voiced concerns about a perceived rise in crime.
Recent judicial actions have intensified the focus on security. The Superior Court of Justice of Andalusia reported that nine migrants from the mass entry have been sent to prison in recent days, including two accused of sexual assaults against minors who also arrived on July 30. Judges have also ordered the expulsion of two others for separate offenses. Marlaska confirmed that police have been instructed to seek immediate judicial authorization for expulsions of any detainees.
This is not the first reinforcement since the crisis began. On the day of the mass entry, nearly 350 additional officers were dispatched to support the city’s existing police force, which was overwhelmed by the influx of migrants swimming from Morocco. The National Police sent an initial immigration team and five riot control units (UIP) from Sevilla, Málaga, and Madrid, totaling 225 officers, to maintain public order. Local UPR and UIP teams have since doubled their shifts to ensure a visible police presence.
Further support included 45 more UIP officers and six from the General Commissariat of Information, responsible for counterterrorism. The Guardia Civil contributed three platoons (60 agents) to reinforce border surveillance, along with 160 officers from Andalusia for public security duties, supported by 2,000 Armed Forces personnel stationed in Ceuta. For maritime control, two diving teams from the Grupo Especial de Actividades Subacuáticas (GEAS) and the Duque de Ahumada patrol vessel, staffed by 12 Guardia Civil agents, were deployed. The city’s Maritime Service maintains two medium vessels and four zodiacs, with additional boat operators, mechanics, drone pilots, and a helicopter reinforcing aerial surveillance.
The situation in Ceuta has drawn national attention, with the Royal Household previously highlighting the King’s concern and arranging a meeting between Felipe VI and the city’s president following the unprecedented border incident, as detailed in this related report.
Ceuta’s unique position as a Spanish enclave bordering Morocco has made it a focal point for migration flows into Europe. The city’s authorities and residents have repeatedly called for more resources to manage both border security and the humanitarian challenges posed by sudden mass arrivals. The latest reinforcements reflect ongoing efforts to balance public order with legal and humanitarian obligations. Spain’s approach in Ceuta is closely watched by other EU countries facing similar pressures at their external borders.
