Lead

The mayor-president of Ceuta, Juan Jesus Vivas, has called for the urgent establishment of a detention centre to hold and expel thousands of migrants and asylum seekers who remain in the Spanish North African enclave after a mass border crossing from Morocco. The demand comes as thousands of people, including many from sub-Saharan African countries, continue to live on beaches and in overcrowded reception centres with limited access to food, water, and sanitation.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from Al Jazeera describe both the political and humanitarian dimensions of the crisis. One report focuses on the dire conditions faced by migrants and asylum seekers in Ceuta and the political tensions the influx has sparked between Spain's central government and regions governed by opposition parties. A second report offers a ground-level view, featuring personal stories of migrants who arrived during the surge, and highlights Spain's plan to regularise up to one million undocumented migrants.

The two reports together present a picture of a territory under strain, with migrants caught between local demands for expulsion and national policy shifts toward regularisation.

Key Claims

  • Ceuta's Mayor-President Juan Jesus Vivas, of the conservative Popular Party, told reporters: "A space that acts as an internment centre for foreigners must be set up, where these people can be held and remain confined." He added that the measure "must be achieved urgently" so that migrants "are not in our streets and that expulsion proceedings can be handled with greater speed and ease."
  • Spanish authorities estimate that 80,000 irregular migrants made the journey to Ceuta, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
  • The Spanish government says that 70,000 migrants and asylum seekers returned to Morocco within two days, the same report states.
  • Tens of thousands of Moroccans were sent back under special arrangements between Spain and Morocco, as reported by Al Jazeera.
  • Thousands of migrants remain in Ceuta, struggling to access food, water, shelter, and sanitation. This includes hundreds of unaccompanied children who cannot be summarily deported under Spanish law, according to Al Jazeera.
  • Spain's Socialist-led government, under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, plans to allow regularisation for up to one million undocumented migrants this year, as reported by Al Jazeera.
  • Migrants from countries such as Sudan, Somalia, Senegal, Mali, and Egypt are living on a beach in Ceuta, with little access to food, water, or hygiene, according to a reporter's notebook from Al Jazeera. One Somali man said that if it was his destiny to die there, so be it—at least he tried. Two Senegalese migrants described themselves as economic migrants, saying, "We are able-bodied, we have a lot to contribute. We have come to work, not to beg."

Perspectives

Ceuta's Mayor / Popular Party

Juan Jesus Vivas argues that migrants and asylum seekers must be detained and expelled to prevent them from remaining on the streets and to expedite deportation proceedings. He emphasises the need for an internment centre as an urgent measure.

Spain's Central Government (Socialist-led)

While the report notes Spain's government is keen to press home the returns to its European Union neighbours, it also highlights the government's plan to regularise up to one million undocumented migrants, indicating a policy direction toward legalisation rather than mass expulsion.

Migrants and Asylum Seekers

The migrants themselves express a range of motivations—from escaping war to seeking economic opportunity—and a determination to remain despite the difficult conditions. Their stories are documented by Al Jazeera, with some stating they have come to work and contribute, not to beg.