60,000 Migrants Surge into Ceuta... EU Calls Emergency Border Meeting

Death Toll from Illegal Immigration Incident Rises to 72
Major EU Countries Strengthen Border Inspections
Ongoing Dispute Between Spain and Morocco Over Responsibility

The death toll from the large-scale illegal immigration incident that occurred in Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous territory in North Africa, on July 30-31 (local time), has risen to 72. The European Union (EU) has announced that it will hold an emergency meeting to develop countermeasures for illegal entry.

On August 4, EU member states are scheduled to hold a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) to discuss the Ceuta incident. According to Euronews, this meeting was made possible after 22 member countries, led by Italy and Denmark, jointly issued a letter urging action. However, France, Portugal, and Luxembourg did not sign the joint letter.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, also welcomed the move, stating, "We must draw lessons from this incident to strengthen Europe's capacity to respond," while at the same time emphasizing, "Despite the mass influx, not a single person reached mainland Spain or any other EU country." This appears to underscore that the EU's external border controls are still functioning.

European countries quickly moved to bolster border controls. Italy, led by far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, suspended Schengen visa-free travel with Spain for one month, while France strengthened its border inspections. Germany and Sweden also called on the Spanish government to strengthen border control. Other EU member states are also calling for joint responses and stronger external border enforcement, and Spain has strengthened security by installing a 500-meter-long maritime barrier along the coast of Ceuta.

The aftermath of the Ceuta incident continues. From July 30-31, about 60,000 migrants surged into Ceuta from Morocco by land and sea, and over 48,000 of them returned to Morocco within 48 hours, initially giving the appearance that the situation had been brought under control. The Spanish government announced that only a few thousand remain in Ceuta and that the situation has stabilized for the most part. However, the Associated Press reported that, even after most migrants had left, Ceuta residents remained in shock and expressed differing opinions over the causes and responsibility for the incident.

Migrants who had crossed from Morocco to the Spanish territory of Ceuta are being escorted back to their home country on the 2nd (local time) under the supervision of Spanish soldiers. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Meanwhile, the number of casualties continues to rise. Spanish authorities reported that at least 72 people drowned or were crushed to death. Morocco announced that 11 of its nationals had died, which shows a significant difference in reporting. Spanish local media have suggested that the death toll could climb further.

The dispute between Spain and Morocco, the two countries at the center of the conflict, continues over who is responsible for the incident. The Moroccan government stated that it has launched an investigation, claiming that false information and human trafficking organizations incited the large-scale border crossing. However, some migrants who returned to Morocco testified that the border was effectively open and that authorities did not take meaningful steps to stop them. The UK’s Guardian reported that Moroccan authorities may have in effect opened the border to signal their displeasure with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s recent visit to Algeria. Algeria has long supported the Western Sahara independence movement and is at odds with Morocco.

The Spanish government has rejected claims that its pro-immigration policies triggered the incident, stressing that illegal entrants cannot move to mainland Spain or other Schengen countries. Prime Minister Sanchez characterized the incident as "an infringement on Spanish territory" and announced plans to bolster border controls, such as setting up temporary processing centers and installing maritime buoys. The government also explained that the massive recent influx was a result of human trafficking organizations exploiting a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling.

Political exploitation of the incident was also observed. On August 1, U.S. President Donald Trump joined the controversy via Truth Social, saying, "(The Ceuta incident) also happened in the United States during the 'Sleepy Joe Biden' administration." During a cabinet meeting he chaired at Camp David in Maryland the previous day, Trump also asserted, "The same will happen to us if the Republican Party does not win," and claimed, "We have the safest borders in the world."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.