Ceuta border crisis recedes as 48,300 migrants return to Morocco from Spain

Nearly all of the migrants who entered the Spanish city of Ceuta illegally have returned to Morocco, according to Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares. The Spanish authorities state that migrants cannot reach mainland Spain without passing through border checkpoints for identity checks. Albares emphasized that the integrity of the Schengen Area remains unthreatened, stating, "Enough of this deliberate confusion."

As of July 31, roughly 48,300 out of over 50,000 migrants who crossed the border from Morocco had returned. This figure is higher than half of Ceuta's population, which is approximately 84,000. Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas had previously estimated that around 60,000 migrants had arrived over a few days. The city's population has been largely impacted, with some residents sleeping in the streets due to the overflow of reception centers.

Bodies of 57 migrants were discovered along the border, some drowning while others perished attempting to climb the border fence. The reason behind the sudden surge in migration remains unclear. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani urged Spain to be excluded from the Schengen Area following the incident, while France announced stricter security protocols along its border with Spain on July 31.