Thousands of migrants remain stranded in Ceuta three weeks after an estimated 80,000 people illegally entered the Spanish North African enclave via Tarajal beach.
The scale of the mass entry matched the entire resident population of Ceuta, causing widespread disruption across the city.
Although Moroccan authorities ordered the migrants to return to their places of origin and the majority complied immediately, thousands have refused to leave.
Migrant numbers and local impact
Juan Jesús Vivas, the president of Ceuta, estimated that between 8,000 and 11,000 migrants remain in the territory, creating serious ongoing problems for local residents.
The mass intrusion occurred on July 30, coinciding with Morocco's celebration of the Feast of the Throne, the country's national holiday.
Morocco maintains a long-standing sovereignty claim over Ceuta and Melilla, considering both Spanish cities to be mere colonies on its national territory.
The timing of the influx was organized and prepared to reinforce political claims over the enclave rather than being a random event.
Government response and regional transfers
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has remained on summer holiday at the La Mareta residence, managed by Patrimonio Nacional, while members of his cabinet visited Ceuta.
Ministers had previously declared that every person who entered illegally would be returned to Morocco, but no solution has been implemented.
The central government has proposed transferring 500 underage girls to mainland Spain, a plan introduced without reaching agreements with the receiving autonomous communities.
European Union position and smuggling networks
The European Commission issued a clear stance on the crisis, stating that European law supports the immediate return of minors to Morocco.
The Commission also stated that none of the illegal migrants should be permitted to reach mainland Spain, in order to prevent unauthorized movement across the border-free Schengen zone.
While the Spanish government stated it would follow the EU directive, criminal mafias operating taxi boats have already begun smuggling groups of migrants across the strait to the Iberian peninsula.
