Thousands of migrants in Ceuta wait in limbo while Spain figures out what to do with them
Spanish officials say they have emergency funds for 1,800 migrants and are still processing thousands more for shelter and asylum claims.
- On Thursday, Spain's Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration Elma Saiz announced the government secured space to accommodate 1,800 migrants in Ceuta using a parking lot and military facility.
- Following a late July border surge that saw more than 72,000 migrants enter the Spanish territory, thousands have remained in the city of 84,000, hiding in hills and outside reception centers.
- Local organizations have distributed 4,000 meals daily since Aug. 3, backed by 6.5 million euros in emergency government funding to support migrants including women and children.
- Ceuta Mayor Juan Jesús Vivas criticized the national government's response as insufficient, even as Spanish police escorted hundreds of migrants from beaches to shelters on Thursday to restore normalcy.
- The U.N. refugee agency estimates about 1,200 migrants in Ceuta could be eligible for international protection, urging officials to process asylum claims quickly as individuals like 20-year-old Khadija Rifai await outcomes.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Spain: Humanitarian and Rights Crisis in Ceuta
Click to expand Image Two of the migrants and asylum seekers who swam to Ceuta in July 2026, walk on Trampolín beach, August 2026. © 2026 José Antonio Sempere Gálvez for Human Rights Watch (Milan) – The Spanish government and local authorities in its North African enclave Ceuta should act urgently to provide adequate shelter to all migrants and asylum seekers living unsheltered since entering Ceuta from Morocco at the end of July, Human Rights W…
Associated Press News
Thousands of migrants in Ceuta wait in limbo while Spain figures out what to do with them
Migrants in Ceuta have been moved to makeshift shelters by Spanish police. This comes amid a humanitarian crisis where up to 10,000 migrants, including women and children, remain in the city weeks after a border surge.
80,000 migrants come to Ceuta at the end of July – including hundreds of women and girls. Many of them now live on the streets and become victims of attacks. 80,000 migrants come to Ceuta at the end of July – including hundreds of women and girls. Many of them now live on the streets and become victims of attacks.
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