On Ceuta’s El Trampolín beach, a sprawling informal settlement of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa has taken shape quickly. Over the past two weeks, dozens of men have built a community of cardboard shelters and palm fronds, turning the shoreline into a densely packed camp. The area, just below the full Centro de Estancia Temporal de Inmigrantes (CETI), has become a last resort for people unable to secure a place in official accommodation after crossing from Morocco. The encampment formed amid a wider housing emergency following large arrivals at the end of July.
Among the new arrivals is Hamed Salah al-Din, a 31-year-old barber from Sudan who fled war and a humanitarian crisis in 2025. After a perilous journey through Libya and Algeria, he now offers haircuts to fellow migrants, charging a small fee or working for free for friends. His makeshift barbershop, put together from found objects and gifts, has become a focal point in the camp’s daily life. Nearby, others have marked out a mosque in the sand, using empty milk cartons for walls and a broken pipe as a minaret. These efforts reflect the community’s attempt to maintain routines and dignity despite harsh conditions.
Sanitation remains a challenge. Volunteers keep the beach’s only public toilets clean, but not everyone uses them, and waste builds up around the camp. The Red Cross distributes food to thousands, though not all stay overnight. Some migrants cook in their shelters with basic equipment, getting food from local shops or fishing in the sea. Football matches and impromptu wrestling tournaments offer distraction and a sense of normalcy, even as the camp’s population grows and resources run thin.
Social tensions are mounting. On Sunday, a group of Maghrebi migrants staged a sit-in, refusing food and demanding asylum as they voiced frustration over perceived differences in how cases are handled. Chants of “All migrants are equal!” echoed through the camp, reflecting divisions between people fleeing war, like Hamed, and others seeking better opportunities. As night falls, fires provide warmth. Police patrols and cargo ships offshore are reminders of the precarious situation.
The Red Cross estimates that it serves up to 4,000 people, but the exact number sleeping on El Trampolín remains unclear. An official balance cited in October counted 11,302 migrants in Ceuta on 14 October across temporary accommodation and the CETI, as well as facilities for unaccompanied minors. The same balance put the number at around 1,500 in El Guano and a similar figure in El Tarajal, while the CETI housed about 1,000 people. The central government estimated that roughly another 1,000 people remained in informal settlements. The camp’s growth and residents’ self-organisation echo patterns seen in other migration hotspots across Spain. Recent demographic shifts have also drawn attention, including the impressive rise in centenarians in Galicia, explored in a recent analysis of longevity trends. Both cases show how local realities are shaped by broader social and migratory movements.
The camp’s eventual clearance formed part of a broader series of operations. The basic removals at El Trampolín took place on 4 and 5 October, when hundreds of people were moved or left the beach. The National Police also intervened in Benítez, El Guano, Los Rosales, the Poblado de Regulares, lower El Príncipe, warehouses in El Tarajal and areas near the CETI. Europa Press reported that more than 350 officers took part. The movement of people did not ease the accommodation shortage: some went to the El Guano esplanade, while others remained in streets, garages or near the CETI.
Accounts of the October operations also included allegations from migrants that some people had been returned to Morocco against their will. Interviewees told elDiario.es they had been misled about their buses’ destination and could not decide whether to return. Some said, “It’s a lie, it wasn’t voluntary, they threw us out.” Separately, the National Police and Ceuta’s Inclusion Area worked to assist vulnerable families at El Tarajal and near the CETI. The operations involved excavators and cleaning teams removing the remains of more than two months of informal occupation.
The central government and Ceuta’s authorities offered different assessments of the response. On 20 October, Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres rejected claims of inaction, citing more than 7,400 places made available for people who entered Ceuta irregularly at the end of July. The ministry said the major coastal settlements at Trampolín, Benítez and Guano had been cleared, while operations continued in scattered locations. The pressure on accommodation was also evident in the asylum process: reporting in October put the number of asylum decisions granted since 31 July at 180. People granted international protection can reside and work legally in Spain and travel to the mainland after receiving the relevant police documentation.
Ceuta’s position at the crossroads of Africa and Europe continues to make it a focal point for migration. El Trampolín shows the challenges authorities and humanitarian groups face in managing arrivals and providing basic services to a diverse, vulnerable population. As the camp changes, ability to recover and self-organisation persist, even as tensions rise. The situation reflects the complexity of migration on Spain’s borders.
