Spanish police on Monday launched a fresh operation to clear a temporary migrant camp in the port of Ceuta, Spain's North African exclave, as part of a broader government plan to shut down all emergency reception facilities set up after a mass influx in late July. The move has accelerated voluntary returns to Morocco, with local media reporting that more than 300 Moroccans have gone home in the past two days.
Officers from Spain's National Police arrived at the camp before 7am, a day after an initial operation on Sunday. Migrants are being moved to other government-provided accommodation or to the Centre for the Temporary Stay of Foreigners (CATE) in El Tarajal, where their immigration status is assessed. Those who wish to return to Morocco can do so voluntarily, while others are transferred to facilities run by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.
Closing the emergency camps
The government's plan involves the phased closure of all seven temporary reception sites set up around Ceuta after the mass arrivals at the end of July. Together, these facilities have about 7,000 places and currently house around 5,800 registered people. The dismantling began on Sunday, when 50 tents belonging to the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Aecid) were taken down on the port's west quay.
Using port land for reception facilities had drawn criticism on security grounds, given the port's strategic importance. In September, the Interior Ministry temporarily tightened maritime security and raised the port's alert level to 2, stating that the camp had altered normal operating and protection conditions at the site. The Unified Police Union (SUP) challenged the decision in court, seeking to suspend the camp's opening, but Spain's National High Court, the Audiencia Nacional, refused to grant that interim measure.
The closure of the camp has sped up voluntary departures. According to El Faro de Ceuta, more than 300 Moroccans have returned home in the past two days, after spending over three months in Ceuta waiting for their cases to be resolved. Their decision may have been influenced by poor prospects of being allowed to stay in Spain and the rejection of most asylum applications.
Official figures show that 14,818 migrants have returned to Morocco since an estimated 80,000 arrivals in late July. Of these, 14,180 left voluntarily and 638 were deported. Spain's migration minister, Elma Saiz, said 6,113 people had so far been through the screening process. Meanwhile, 3,650 minors remain in the care of Ceuta's local authorities.
The situation in Ceuta is part of a wider pattern of migration pressure on Spain's southern borders. Earlier this year, Spain rescued 854 migrants off El Hierro as the Canary Islands route saw a surge in arrivals. The Atlantic route has also proven deadly, with a Senegal migrant boat disaster killing at least 21 off the coast of Kébémer. These events highlight the ongoing challenges facing European border states.
As Ceuta's port returns to normal operations, the focus shifts to the long-term integration of those who remain. The Spanish government has pledged to provide adequate accommodation and legal pathways, but the scale of the task remains significant. With thousands still in temporary facilities, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the success of the closure plan.
