Guardia Civil officers stationed in Ceuta and Melilla can no longer receive new approvals for vacation or other leave as Spain faces renewed pressure from irregular migration at its North African borders. The directive, issued by director general Mercedes González and detailed in an internal document seen by EL PAÍS, aims to keep both enclaves operational amid concern about possible mass attempts to cross from Morocco.
The order, signed by operational chief Manuel Llamas, cites the need to maintain public safety and border surveillance. It says the migration surge has coincided with a impressive drop in available personnel due to summer holidays and personal leave. New requests for time off are frozen until further notice, while leave approved before the order remains valid.
The document says the measure is temporary and will be reviewed as the situation develops. Commanders in Ceuta and Melilla must keep the chain of command updated and may propose changes or lift the restrictions if conditions improve. The decision comes amid reports that attempts to organize another large-scale border crossing are being coordinated through social media.
Unlike the Guardia Civil, the Policía Nacional has not imposed a blanket ban on new leave. Instead, it relies on extraordinary service mechanisms that let members of the Unidades de Intervención Policial (UIP) and Unidad de Prevención y Reacción (UPR) in Ceuta volunteer for extended shifts in return for additional pay. Interior Ministry sources say the approach has increased the visible police presence in the city.
As the crisis escalated, both forces received reinforcements. Nearly 350 additional officers were sent to Ceuta to support the more than 1,000 agents already there, after a mass entry of over 72,000 irregular migrants was recorded at El Tarajal on July 30, information from the Ministry of the Interior’s estimate. The Policía Nacional sent specialist teams to process and document migrants, along with UIP units from other Spanish cities to reinforce street patrols. Local UPR and UIP teams also doubled shifts to maintain coverage.
The Guardia Civil initially raised its deployment in Ceuta to eight Grupos de Reserva y Seguridad (GRS) platoons, against a normal presence of two. The reinforcement included three platoons, about 60 agents, described in the initial operation, along with 160 personnel from Andalusia for public-safety duties. The wider response also included 2,000 Armed Forces personnel stationed in Ceuta. For maritime control, authorities deployed two GEAS diving teams and the patrol vessel Duque de Ahumada, staffed by 12 officers. The local Maritime Service operates two medium-sized boats and four zodiacs, with extra crew and drone pilots joining as needed. An Air Service helicopter was also added.
The deployment later changed. In October, the Delegación del Gobierno in Ceuta confirmed that three GRS platoons had been withdrawn, leaving five, still three above the usual level. The delegation said the change was made for operational reasons and that the remaining force could carry out its assigned duties. It added that personnel could be reinforced if circumstances required. The Objective reported that around 100 GRS officers and 200 UIP officers were expected to remain in the city, while Interior reorganized resources for security needs on the Peninsula. The reinforced operation covered the border fence and port, including efforts to monitor attempts to enter vehicles bound for mainland Spain.
The security response extended beyond the border. On October 18, more than 350 Policía Nacional officers took part in an operation targeting migrant encampments in Poblado Regulares, Los Rosales, the lower part of Príncipe Alfonso, the former Tarajal warehouses and an area near the Centro de Estancia Temporal de Inmigrantes. EL PAÍS reported that the operation aimed to dismantle remaining settlements and move people sleeping in exposed areas. Separately, Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory Ángel Víctor Torres said around 200 migrants had been removed from garages, rooftops, homes and other private spaces in the Príncipe district. He described the operation as careful and discreet.
Torres also said that 13,101 people had been returned to Morocco since August 10 as part of the response launched after the July crisis. His figures included a field deployment of more than 5,000 personnel, including over 1,600 Policía Nacional officers. The October operations came nearly three months after the mass arrivals of July 30 and 31. They showed that the response covered border security, urban operations and returns.
This latest move follows intense pressure on local resources, highlighted in coverage of overwhelmed child migrant shelters and the challenges facing authorities in Ceuta. A report on the collapse of Ceuta’s child migrant support system detailed the situation of minors left without shelter or food.
Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s only land borders with Africa, have long been focal points for migration into the European Union. The fortified enclaves face recurring attempts to cross their borders, sometimes involving large groups. The restrictions on leave reflect efforts to preserve readiness, while changing deployments show how staffing has shifted with operational demands. Authorities may make further changes as migration patterns and security requirements develop.
