Spain has announced an emergency allocation of €25 million for unaccompanied migrant minors in Ceuta, following a surge in irregular border crossings from Morocco last week. Local authorities say around 1,000 foreign minors are in the autonomous city’s care. The number may be higher because arrivals continue and registration is incomplete.
The Spanish government says the €25 million allocation was agreed at the Sectoral Conference on Children’s Affairs on 27 August 2026 to fund the reception of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents in Ceuta during 2026. It is part of a broader €88 million support package for the autonomous city. A further €63 million in direct assistance was included in a Royal Decree-Law on urgent social and economic measures approved on 1 September, including €2 million to appoint representatives for minors, information from the government account published by La Moncloa on 20 October.
After a special videoconference with his EU counterparts, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said Spain’s rapid response and the work of its authorities had won recognition at the European level. He stressed that the Schengen Area’s integrity was never at risk during the crisis. Marlaska also updated the figures: 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco irregularly, and 70,000 had already returned to their country of origin. He said no prior report had predicted an event on this scale, pointing to the unexpected nature of the 2021 incident.
Separate figures published by La Moncloa show that Spanish authorities enabled the return of more than 12,700 people to Morocco between 10 August and 20 October 2026. Reuters reported that 262 minors had been transferred to mainland Spain since the July crossing, while the government said 12,000 people had crossed back voluntarily since mid-August. These figures cover different reported measures and periods. The government also said that, as of 20 October, none of the unaccompanied minors had been reunited with their families in Morocco. Adults fall under the remit of the General State Administration; ordinary jurisdiction over unaccompanied minors rests with Ceuta.
The government delegation in Ceuta confirmed that three more bodies had been found since Monday, bringing the death toll linked to the recent mass entry to 75. The Guardia Civil has opened a dedicated office and email address in Ceuta to receive reports of missing migrants as families seek news of loved ones who attempted the crossing.
Ceuta’s 2021 crisis offers a recent example of the pressure sudden arrivals can put on the city’s reception services. Reuters reported that about 5,000 people, many of them minors or families, entered the enclave in May that year; wider accounts put the total over roughly two days at around 8,000 to 10,000. Spain began returning Moroccan youths after the episode. Amnesty International called the returns “collective and forced,” while Spanish officials said they followed established legal procedures in individual cases. The dispute raised questions about safeguards for minors and people seeking asylum who face return.
Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration Elma Saiz said the new €25 million package is also to the €5.5 million transferred to Ceuta in July as part of a broader €35 million national distribution for child welfare. She did not specify how many minors are currently receiving assistance. The city still faces logistical challenges. The Banco de Alimentos de Ceuta coordinates emergency food distribution and has provided basic supplies, including water, milk, biscuits and ready meals, since the crisis began.
Spain has installed a floating barrier off Ceuta’s coast to deter further crossings. It was damaged on Monday and repaired by Tuesday morning. Similar maritime containment measures, adapted to local conditions, are under consideration for Melilla. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Margarita Robles is due to meet with the commanders of Ceuta and Melilla to discuss territorial security and sovereignty.
Despite the ongoing emergency, Ceuta’s government plans to hold its annual festivities honoring the Virgen de África on August 4 and 5, preserving a sense of normalcy amid the exceptional situation. For more on the funding and the scale of the challenge facing Ceuta, see this analysis of the government’s emergency support for unaccompanied minors: Spanish government boosts aid for migrant children in Ceuta.
Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s two enclaves on the North African coast, have long been focal points for migration from Africa to Europe. The latest crisis adds to ongoing pressure on border management and humanitarian support in both territories. Spain’s response brings together emergency funding, border infrastructure and coordination with European partners as authorities weigh security against legal obligations and the need to protect vulnerable groups. Officials continue to monitor developments and adjust their measures.
