Ceuta’s effort to restore order after the recent influx of migrants has had limited success, with hundreds still avoiding official shelters. Despite new accommodation opened through a coordinated effort involving the ministry, the autonomous city and local associations, many migrants remain wary and choose to sleep outdoors, afraid they could be found and expelled. At the city’s basic beach, El Trampolín, makeshift tents remain in place and groups of young men wash in temporary showers. Others seek shade nearby, reluctant to move into organized centers.
Authorities said around 2,500 people were housed in official facilities at the time of this account, while a similar number continued to move through the city, often spending nights on plastic sheets by the roadside. Migrants from areas near Tangier and Tetouan openly voiced suspicion, convinced that entering a shelter could leave them more vulnerable to deportation. Some said they preferred the uncertainty of the streets, believing it gave them a better chance to evade authorities if necessary. Later figures show how quickly the response expanded: by 23 October, approximately 8,000 places were available across 12 accommodation resources, with around 6,000 occupied, information from figures attributed to Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory Minister Ángel Víctor Torres. Authorities also reported more than 5,400 adult triages and 310 involving minors, as well as 244,000 meals distributed since 3 August.
The government’s figures distinguish voluntary returns from formal expulsions. A briefing reported 12,705 returns by 9 October, classifying 12,142 as voluntary and 536 as expulsions. The Government of Spain later reported that more than 12,700 people had returned from Ceuta to Morocco between 10 August and 20 October. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska rejected allegations of covert removals, saying, “There are no covert deportations under any circumstances.” The government also reported that 7,477 temporary humanitarian places had been activated and that 83% of migrants staying in those resources had been vaccinated. Reuters reported that Spain had received up to 1,200 asylum applications and resolved 700, putting the debate over returns in the context of the country’s asylum and protection procedures.
One of the latest sites designated for migrant accommodation is the Hípica, a public-private equestrian club expected to host women and children. The decision has drawn visible opposition from club members, who have displayed their disapproval at the entrance. Meanwhile, the Centro de Estancia Temporal de Inmigrantes (CETI) has begun filling with new arrivals, including young men such as Jayte Balaar from Sudan. He says he is willing to wait as long as necessary in hopes of reaching Madrid.
Conditions vary sharply across the city. In the industrial zone of El Tarajal, groups of young men gather among abandoned warehouses and venture out only to collect daily food bags distributed by the Red Cross. Women, including relatives of some migrants, are mostly housed in a shelter in the La Reina neighborhood, where the atmosphere is reportedly less tense. The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration says these women and children will soon move to the Hípica facility, now being prepared with carpets and plastic sheeting donated by local mosques and community groups.
The influx has put extraordinary pressure on child-protection services. By 21 October, 3,331 migrant children had entered Ceuta’s protection system, according to RTVE’s account of government figures. The Government said 107 minors had reached mainland Spain through family reunification and 181 had been transferred to other autonomous communities under Article 35 of Spain’s immigration law. It also said 63 files concerning minors had been sent to Morocco. Ceuta’s normal child-protection capacity was reported as 29, while another account put the number of minors in care at around 3,390. The city opened 12 extraordinary resources from 1 August and operated 22 spaces in total. Family reunification and transfers to mainland Spain have become basic to easing pressure on local facilities.
Local residents remain divided. Some, like Mohamed, a long-time Ceuta shopkeeper, describe the situation as chaotic but say it has improved slightly since the first days. Tensions have also spilled into public life, with controversy erupting ahead of a football match between AD Ceuta and UD Las Palmas. The visiting team reversed its decision to wear shirts bearing the slogan “Ceuta is not for sale; Ceuta defends itself,” reportedly because of concerns about possible repercussions on its return journey via Tetouan. The issue dominated conversations in bars near the stadium, reflecting the city’s unsettled mood.
Ceuta’s migrant situation is not unique. Similar challenges have emerged in recent months as authorities across Spain seek ways to manage arrivals and provide adequate shelter. The government’s plan to transfer hundreds of vulnerable migrant girls from Ceuta to the mainland, detailed in recent coverage of urgent relocation efforts, reflects the ongoing challenge of balancing humanitarian needs with security concerns.
By 21 October, the Government had carried out its seventh operation to clear improvised camps, including sites in Poblados Regulares, the Tarajal industrial zone and the area around the CETI. The operations targeted people who had not entered official accommodation. Reuters also reported that some migrants were still sleeping rough or sheltering in Ceuta’s hills. Interviews with migrants and lawyers, along with reporting involving non-governmental organizations and security forces, raised concerns about access to asylum or humanitarian protection. Groups identified as potentially having protection claims included unaccompanied minors, LGBT Moroccans who feared imprisonment and vulnerable families. People remain outside formal accommodation, showing that expanded capacity has not ended distrust or resolved questions about protection and returns.
Ceuta’s position at Europe’s edge has long made it a focal point for migration from North Africa. The current response shows how difficult it is to manage large-scale arrivals when trust between migrants and authorities is fragile. Many people’s reluctance to enter official shelters complicates efforts to provide basic services and maintain public order, while the city faces continued pressure to address immediate needs and longer-term integration challenges.
