Authorities in Ceuta are bracing for a possible mass arrival of migrants on 23 September. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska is travelling to the autonomous city to supervise triage operations as pressure grows.
The warning comes as local pressure has already reached a critical level, information from Melchor León. The socialist deputy says the central government has left Ceuta dealing with a crisis now in its 52nd day.
A new call linked to Morocco’s legislative elections is circulating on social media. The Spanish embassy in Rabat says more than 90,000 young Moroccans have been summoned for Wednesday 23 September.
EFE reports that Grande-Marlaska’s 21 September visit is his fourth trip to Ceuta since the mass arrivals of 30 and 31 July. His programme covers the CATE reception and triage centre and the asylum office, with stops at police and Civil Guard units.
That prospect has put Ceuta’s accommodation arrangements under scrutiny. León argues that moving migrants to the port has not solved the problem and describes the measure as improvised.
León says the port facilities were never suitable for camps. He also says the site cannot accommodate 1,700 people, while more than 5,000 are reportedly at Trampolín beach.
The figures show why the dispute now extends beyond the border itself. Reuters reported on 18 September that Spanish police had already launched an operation to clear migrants from beaches, moving some to temporary accommodation.
Authorities are managing an ongoing reception crisis while preparing for a possible event on 23 September.
On 30 July, tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta. The Spanish Government put the total number of arrivals on 30 and 31 July at more than 70,000.
Before attempting the journey, many young Moroccans used social media to exchange information. They also shared details on TikTok and Instagram about routes and sea conditions, as well as police surveillance and the equipment used to swim across.
In a 17 September statement published by Moncloa, the Spanish government framed the situation as a border-management and reception crisis. Grande-Marlaska said Spain was preventing secondary movements from Ceuta to mainland Spain while the relevant services handled asylum and return procedures.
Those online networks are again central to the current warning. The messages do not prove that a new mass entry will happen.
Reports cited by El Confidencial and Hespress say there is no confirmed evidence that border security will be weakened because of the Moroccan elections. Still, the messages have created a real security concern in a city already facing overcrowded facilities and sustained tension.
León says the atmosphere in Ceuta is highly strained. He accuses the central government of failing to act as conditions worsen.
He also blames Marlaska and expects the minister’s visit to bring another confrontation over the government’s description of insecurity as subjective.
