Liberals Are Ceding Ground to the Far Right on Ceuta Border Crossings

Lead

Tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta last week, triggering a humanitarian emergency and a political firestorm that reached across the Atlantic. US President Donald Trump and European far-right leaders seized on the images of the crossings to push anti-immigration agendas, while some analysts and activists argue that liberal and centrist responses also fell short of a humane approach.

Coverage Comparison

The scale of the crossing varies by source. France 24 reported that Ceuta’s president said about 60,000 migrants had crossed in a 24-hour period, a figure equivalent to roughly 70% of the territory’s population. The Intercept, meanwhile, put the number at over 50,000 people who risked their lives to cross the border last week. Both outlets agree that the vast majority of migrants have since been returned to Morocco voluntarily. France 24 cited the Spanish government saying over half had made their way back, while The Intercept reported that fewer than 2,000 refugees remain on Ceuta and are in urgent need of food and shelter.

The two outlets also differ in their framing. France 24’s coverage centered on how Trump and far-right leaders used the crisis for political gain, emphasizing the “invasion” and “catastrophe” language employed by the US president. The Intercept took a broader critical view, arguing that the crisis has been framed along a “putrid, far-right political fulcrum” and that liberals and centrists have also treated immigrants as a threat to be secured against.

Key Claims

• Scale of the crossing: About 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta in the past 24 hours, according to Ceuta’s president, as reported by France 24. The Intercept reported over 50,000 people crossed the border last week.
• Returns and remaining needs: Over half of the migrants have already returned to Morocco voluntarily, the Spanish government said, per France 24. The Intercept reported that fewer than 2,000 refugees remain on Ceuta, in urgent need of food and shelter.
• Deaths during crossings: Over 80 people reportedly died during the crossings, most from drowning, according to The Intercept.
• US political reaction: President Trump commented on the crisis, warning of a similar situation in the US if his opponents get into power. France 24 quoted Trump telling his cabinet that the scene in Spain “looks like an invasion” and that the same thing would happen in the US “except worse, much bigger” if Republicans are not elected. The Intercept quoted Trump telling Fox News: “It’s terrible. Remember that picture. That’s going to be us in three years if the wrong side gets in.”
• Trump administration statement: The White House issued a statement blaming Spain’s government for enabling mass illegal migration, with a spokesperson decrying Spain’s immigration regularization proposal as “far-left, globalist policies,” as reported by The Intercept.
• European far-right reaction: Far-right leaders in Europe, such as Alternative for Germany’s Alice Weidel, reacted to the crisis with calls for stricter border control, as reported by France 24. The Intercept noted that far-right leaders blamed the left-wing Spanish government’s plans to regularize over 1 million undocumented immigrants already living and working in Spain.

Perspectives

Trump Administration: The US president framed the Ceuta crisis as a warning for America, suggesting that if his opponents gain power, the US could face a similar influx. The White House blamed Spain’s regularization plans, labeling them “far-left, globalist policies.”

European far-right leaders: Figures like Alice Weidel of Germany’s Alternative for Germany called for stricter border control, using the images of migrants entering EU territory as fodder for anti-immigration rhetoric, as reported by France 24.

Spain’s government: The Spanish government, which has proposed regularizing over 1 million undocumented immigrants, emphasized that over half of the migrants had voluntarily returned, per France 24.

Critics of liberal/centrist responses: The Intercept’s coverage highlighted that liberals and centrists who claim to decry the right’s anti-immigrant stances are themselves treating immigrants as a threat to be secured against, suggesting a failure to offer a humane alternative.