Ceuta migrant influx: Sanchez blames criminal networks
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez blamed the influx of migrants into Ceuta on criminal networks manipulating a recent court ruling, adding a new explanation to Spain's response to the crisis in its North African enclave. Sanchez has also called the influx an “attack” and a “violation” of Spain's national territory, as about 40,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta in recent days, according to a police source. The police source told AFP that 18 people had died trying to reach the Spanish territory. AFP journalists saw hundreds of men, women and children entering Ceuta by swimming around a border barrier with Morocco, while others were turning back. Spain has sent troops and more police, including divers, drones and boats, to reinforce security in Ceuta. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called images of migrants entering Ceuta “unacceptable”. France said it was tightening checks at its border with Spain, while Italy called for Spain to be suspended from Europe's Schengen open-borders zone. Madrid summoned Italy's ambassador and accused Rome of using the crisis for political gain. Moroccan authorities had not issued an official statement on the migrant flow. A Moroccan official source told AFP on condition of anonymity that Morocco and Spain had spoken about the matter. Ceuta and Melilla are Spain's two enclaves in North Africa and have the European Union's only land borders with Africa.
Update
Spain's prime minister blamed the Ceuta migrant influx on criminal networks manipulating a recent court ruling.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 11:03:56 UTC.
Update
Ursula von der Leyen said the EU could not allow people to enter without following its rules.
Von der Leyen said dangerous crossings must stop immediately.
Von der Leyen said smuggling networks must be dismantled and migrant returns must be swift as EU rules allow.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 11:09:04 UTC.
Update
An EU chief called scenes of migrants entering Spain's Ceuta enclave “unacceptable”.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 10:57:07 UTC.
Update
Spain's prime minister called the Ceuta migrant crisis an “attack” and a “violation” of national territory.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 10:54:17 UTC.
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his interior minister arrived in Ceuta on Friday to visit the Tarajal border.
Finland backed Italy's call to suspend Spain from the Schengen zone over the crisis.
A police source said migrants continued to arrive overnight and early Friday.
Two White House officials reiterated anti-immigration politics using video of Ceuta.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 10:22:14 UTC.
Update
Spain's interior ministry said dozens more police would be sent to Ceuta in the next hours.
The additional deployment includes eight divers, a boat and drones.
The interior ministry put arrivals in Ceuta at about 40,000 in a few days.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 09:57:38 UTC.
Update
Spain boosted its security deployment to Ceuta as the migrant crisis swelled.
The deployment includes divers.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 09:42:17 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The recent court ruling referred to by Sanchez is not identified.
The supplied material does not establish how criminal networks allegedly manipulated the court ruling.
Moroccan authorities had not issued an official statement on the migrant flow in the supplied candidate material.
Source
AFP news report published on .