Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has told EU counterparts that 70,000 of the 72,000 migrants who entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta since last Thursday have already returned to Morocco. The figures, which dwarf the 2021 surge, were shared during an extraordinary videoconference of EU interior ministers convened at Madrid's request and backed by 22 member states.
Speaking after the meeting, Grande-Marlaska described the session as "absolutely constructive" and said Spain's "effective and immediate" response had been acknowledged. EU ministers expressed "strong solidarity" with Spain and pledged to strengthen European early-warning and alert mechanisms for migration crises. The minister also stressed that Ceuta holds a special status within the Schengen area, meaning no one can leave the autonomous city without undergoing a document check.
Grande-Marlaska firmly denied that Spain's National Intelligence Centre (CNI) had warned of a crisis of this magnitude. "Had there been an alert about a scenario comparable to that of May 2021, the information would have reached the highest levels of the state," he said. "That did not happen." He defended the work of the intelligence services, praising their efforts, despite reports that Morocco had warned Spain days earlier about potential consequences of a Supreme Court ruling on border controls.
Extra funding for Ceuta
The Spanish government has announced an additional €25 million for Ceuta to support unaccompanied migrant minors who arrived during the surge. The funds, unveiled by Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration Elma Saiz, come on top of €5.5 million approved last July. "The government has been and will continue to be at Ceuta's side, especially with the most vulnerable," Saiz said.
Saiz called on all autonomous regions, including those governed by the opposition Popular Party, to help receive and care for the minors. She reiterated that the executive had "never" received any report anticipating the scale of the crisis, although it had been working on forecasts of increased irregular arrivals over the summer. She praised Morocco's cooperation as key to delivering an "exceptional response" and highlighted support from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who on Monday praised Spain's handling of the situation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Youth and Children said two educational centres in Ceuta have been made available to accommodate unaccompanied minors, with particular attention to girls. Minister Sira Rego will travel to the city in the coming days to monitor the situation and ensure a dignified reception.
The crisis has reignited debate over Europe's southern border management. While EU ministers backed Spain's response, some of the 22 countries that pushed for the meeting had previously voiced concerns about risk management. The EU's collective response signals a shift toward stronger alert systems, but questions remain about how such surges can be prevented. Morocco's claims of prior warning and the role of social media rumours in triggering the mass movement have added complexity. As Ceuta still hosts thousands of migrants, including over 860 minors, the pressure on local resources continues. The collapse of border controls has exposed deep rifts in Spain's border policy, with critics arguing for a more coordinated European approach.
