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Spanish journalist says Ceuta residents believe government isn't doing enough to prevent another migrant rush
Residents of Spain's North African enclave Ceuta say the government is not doing enough to prevent another mass migration event, according to journalist Javier Negre. Mayor-president Juan Jesús Vivas expressed residents' fear and sadness before the European Parliament, while Spain has increased border security and deployed military.
Residents of Ceuta Fear Another Migrant Influx, Journalist Says
Residents of Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave bordering Morocco, are expressing fears that the government is not doing enough to prevent another mass immigration event like the influx of approximately 70,000 migrants into the city on July 30, according to conservative Spanish journalist Javier Negre.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Negre said, "The local citizens, they are really sad. And no matter if they are left or right, what they say is like, it's really complicated to live right now in Ceuta."
Negre said citizens have cited incidents in which migrants committed crimes, including robbery and attempted rape, adding, "they live in the street and the people are really scared."
He also called for stronger government action, stating, "We need in Spain, we need in Europe, governments that try to avoid the illegal immigration right now because it's not fair for the citizens that pay taxes to have social security, to have healthcare and these illegal migrants, they collapse the hospitals, they collapsed the universities, the schools, and it's not fair for the Spanish people."
Mayor-President's Testimony to European Parliament
The residents' concerns echo comments from Ceuta's mayor-president, Juan Jesús Vivas, who spoke during an extraordinary session of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Vivas said the migrant rush put public safety and public health at risk and threatened to collapse the city's immigration infrastructure.
"Furthermore, the morale of Ceuta's residents is severely affected. Our population feels sad, helpless, uneasy, fearful and worried — and with good reason," Vivas said. "It is inevitable to wonder whether this will happen again, and if that next time will be the definitive plunge into the abyss, causing us to cease being what we are: Spain and Europe."
Security Measures and Border Tensions
Following social media messages in Morocco calling for migrants to again rush the Spanish enclave on Aug. 15, both Spain and Morocco beefed up security on their respective sides of the border. Spain also sent military personnel to the enclave and increased border controls.
However, Negre said Moroccan officials told him that the increased measures are not enough. He criticized Spain's government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and pointed to Spanish media reports arguing that Sánchez's frosty relationship with Morocco may have contributed to the migration incident.
Background: 2021 Crisis and Diplomatic Strains
The July 30 influx is not the first such event. In May 2021, Moroccan border guards appeared to stand down while 10,000 people flooded into Ceuta. The European Parliament passed a resolution condemning Morocco for that incident.
Sánchez endorsed Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, which proposes limited self-governance under Moroccan sovereignty, as the "most serious, realistic, and credible basis" for resolving the dispute. He also traveled to Algeria on July 20, 10 days before the migration incident, in an effort to restore diplomatic ties after a freeze in the countries' relationship over Morocco's claim to the Western Sahara.
Travel Warning and Official Response
The U.S. State Department issued a travel warning for part of Spain due to the migrant surge, as reported by Fox News.
How this outlet told it
Fox News — World
Framing: Highlights residents' fear and the need for stronger government action, suggesting official response is insufficient. — Alarmist: Uses terms like 'fear', 'scared', 'destroying your countries' to evoke imminent danger.
Facts Included:
Residents of Ceuta say the government is not doing enough to prevent another migrant rush, according to journalist Javier Negre
Negre says migrants committed crimes, including robbery and attempted rape
Mayor-president Juan Jesús Vivas spoke before the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Vivas said residents feel 'sad, uneasy, fearful, and with good reason'
Border guards stood down in May 2021 while 10,000 people crossed
European Parliament condemned Morocco for the 2021 incident
Sánchez endorsed Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara in 2022
Sánchez traveled to Algeria (though article does not connect this to the crisis directly)
Spain sent military to Ceuta and border controls were increased
Fox News contacted State Department, which issued a travel warning for Spain
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimTens of thousands of migrants crossed the border into Ceuta from Morocco on 30 and 31 July.
ClaimSpanish government's representative in Ceuta, Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano, said that more than 80,000 people had entered through the Tarajal border.
ClaimPérez Triano rejected calls for his resignation, saying stepping down in the middle of the crisis would be 'an absolute act of irresponsibility and cowardice'.
ClaimPP spokesperson Borja Sémper said 'all the immigration units that are needed' should be deployed and work three shifts a day to process the cases of migrants who remain in the city.
ClaimBorrell accused EU countries of failing to show solidarity with Spain and rejected claims that the crisis was caused by the country's migration policies.
ClaimBorrell said in relation to Spain's migration crisis: 'Several countries, all except France, Portugal, Luxembourg and Ireland, have gone into panic. European solidarity has disappeared. The laws must be applied.'
ClaimTwenty-two EU countries have criticized Spain's migration policies, arguing that measures including its regularisation of undocumented migrants have acted as a 'pull factor'.
ClaimResidents of Ceuta say the government is not doing enough to prevent another mass immigration event like the July 30 influx of approximately 70,000 migrants into the city, according to journalist Javier Negre.
ClaimJournalist Javier Negre told Fox News Digital that 'The local citizens, they are really sad. And no matter if they are left or right, what they say is like, it's really complicated to live right now in Ceuta.'
ClaimNegre said 'We need in Spain, we need in Europe, governments that try to avoid the illegal immigration right now because it's not fair for the citizens that pay taxes... and these illegal migrants, they collapse the hospitals, they collapsed the universities, the schools, and it's not fair for the Spanish people.'
ClaimJuan Jesús Vivas, Ceuta's mayor-president, spoke during an extraordinary session of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.
ClaimVivas said 'Our population feels sad, helpless, uneasy, fearful and worried — and with good reason. It is inevitable to wonder whether this will happen again, and if that next time will be the definitive plunge into the abyss, causing us to cease being what we are: Spain and Europe.'
ClaimFollowing a circulation of social media messages in Morocco calling for migrants to again rush the Spanish enclave on Aug. 15, both Spain and Morocco beefed up security on their respective sides of the border.
ClaimThe journalist pointed to Spanish media reports arguing that Sánchez's frosty relationship with Morocco may have contributed to the migration incident.
ClaimSánchez traveled to Algeria on July 20, 10 days before the migration incident, in an effort to restore diplomatic ties after a freeze in the countries' relationship over Morocco's claim to the Western Sahara.
ClaimSánchez endorsed Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, which proposes limited self-governance under Moroccan sovereignty, as the 'most serious, realistic, and credible basis' for resolving the dispute.