Plans for another mass migrant crossing into Ceuta spreading online

Spanish authorities are keeping a watchful eye on social media posts that hint at a possible coordinated effort to stage another large-scale influx of migrants into Ceuta, a Spanish-controlled island off the north coast of Africa. Last week, over 72,000 undocumented migrants crossed the border into Ceuta, sparking international outrage and responses from global leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Of those who entered, an estimated 70,000 were promptly repatriated to Morocco, according to a Spanish Interior Ministry official.

Recent online activity has raised concerns that a similar campaign could unfold again on August 15, just one week after the first wave of migrants. CBS News has examined numerous Facebook posts suggesting a renewed push for migrants to cross the border from Morocco into Ceuta. Two public Facebook groups, "Migration to Ceuta Inshallah" and "Moroccan migrants (Harraga Maroc)," have amassed over 74,000 members, sharing the plan for a mass crossing on Aug.

15 at the Ceuta border crossing (Bab Sebta / El Tarajal). Despite August 15 being a Spanish holiday, the border crossing operates around the clock, potentially resulting in a dense crowd.

Both Moroccan and Spanish authorities attribute last week's massive influx to a combination of organized human trafficking networks and misinformation spread online. Spanish media outlet Mañaneros obtained a six-page document from Spanish law enforcement agencies that examined the possibility of another mass migration into Ceuta on Aug.

15. The report, based on open-source intelligence, analyzed Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram groups with membership ranging from 400,000 to over 422,000 people. Posts within those groups consistently mentioned Aug. 15 and discussed departure points and logistical details.

Moroccan officials have also blamed a social media misinformation campaign for the initial wave of crossings on July 30. José María Gil Garre, co-director of the Madrid-based International Security Observatory, published a 70-page report detailing WhatsApp groups, TikTok accounts, and Facebook pages that encouraged Moroccans to cross into Ceuta.

He noted that the posts gained momentum after a July 8 Spanish Supreme Court ruling tightened restrictions on Spanish authorities' ability to return Moroccan migrants arriving by sea. Garre explained that the ruling was manipulated to claim that if individuals swam to Ceuta, similar to the historical "wet foot, dry foot" policy between Cuba and the United States, they would be exempt from further issues upon reaching Spanish soil.

However, this interpretation is inaccurate. While one can swim into Ceuta, leaving the island is not an option for irregular migrants. Once inside, they face challenges in finding accommodation and cannot travel to mainland Spain. Abdelhadi, a commerce and marketing student from Casablanca who participated in the recent mass crossing into Ceuta, expressed confusion about the ruling, believing it would grant him asylum in Europe if he reached Ceuta.

Upon entering, he discovered that Ceuta was overcrowded, with no available housing. Raul Diaz, a spokesperson for the Spanish Interior Ministry, confirmed to CBS News that a "self-serving interpretation" by smuggling networks regarding the Supreme Court ruling played a role in the current crisis. Diaz emphasized that the ruling only prohibits the immediate return of migrants who swam to Ceuta and Melilla, as there are no physical barriers delineating the border.

Pathologists, cited in a Reuters News Agency report, reported that 80 migrants perished during the crossing.