RismadarVoice Reporters, July 30, 2026
Thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Thursday, prompting local authorities to call on the Spanish government to declare a national emergency and deploy additional security personnel to the border.
The surge in arrivals has placed renewed pressure on the tiny North African territory, with officials warning that reception centres have exceeded capacity and hundreds of migrants are now sleeping on the streets.
Spain’s Interior Ministry, however, said while it remained committed to safeguarding the country’s borders and protecting residents, the current situation did not meet the legal requirements for declaring a national emergency.
Footage from the border showed large groups of migrants, many of them Moroccan nationals, making their way around the breakwaters at Tarajal Beach before entering Ceuta. The crowd included mostly young men, as well as women and children travelling with their families.
Some of those crossing were heard chanting “Viva España!” as they entered the Spanish territory.
Spain remains one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants seeking better economic opportunities or fleeing conflict and instability in their home countries.
The latest influx follows a rise in attempts by migrants to reach Ceuta, many of them swimming across the border from Morocco.
The scenes have drawn comparisons with the May 2021 border crisis, when more than 8,000 migrants entered Ceuta within two days.
The President of Ceuta’s regional government, Juan Jesús Vivas, appealed to Madrid to declare a national emergency on national security grounds and send additional police officers and military personnel to reinforce the border.
According to Vivas, the extra security presence is necessary to protect the country’s frontier and ensure public safety.
He had earlier warned that migrant reception facilities were overwhelmed, forcing hundreds of new arrivals to remain outdoors due to a lack of accommodation.
Responding to the appeal, Spain’s Interior Ministry maintained that existing legislation governing national emergencies does not classify migration flows as a threat to national security.
The ministry added that government agencies were working together to manage the situation swiftly and effectively.
It also disclosed that Moroccan authorities were cooperating closely with Spain by preventing numerous migrants from reaching the border.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, is expected to visit Ceuta on Friday to assess the situation and coordinate the government’s response.
