Spain’s foreign minister José Manuel Albares during a visit to the autonomous city Ceuta announced that everyone who had entered irregularly in recent days would be returned to Morocco “. Every last person,” the minister said on 11 August after a meeting with Ceuta’s president Juan Jesús Vivas. He linked the announcement to the claim that “bulos” (false reports) spread on social media had contributed to the influx, and that court rulings reported inaccurately did not alter the government’s intention to return them. At the same time, he warned potential migrants of the dangers of irregular routes.
Albares said that people who entered Ceuta or Melilla irregularly would be turned back or returned. According to him, Morocco has signalled its readiness to facilitate returns, including in cases involving unaccompanied minors. The two sides are in contact on this matter, according to reports. However, specific operational steps depend on establishing identities and on procedures initiated by the Spanish authorities on the ground.
Several thousand people remain in Ceuta; figures vary depending on the source and the time. The city authorities and the central government are working on registration, accommodation and care. According to the government, protective measures take priority for minors and, where possible, family reunification; public statements have repeatedly referred to “menores no acompañados”.
Legally, courts and human rights organisations point to strict legal limits on returns. These relate in particular to the protection of children, the prohibition of collective expulsions and individual assessments of asylum and protection claims. Previous returns of minors from Ceuta to Morocco have led to legal proceedings and continue to be examined by the courts. The government stresses that it is complying with national and European law; the precise arrangements for returns remain open to challenge and review.
How quickly returns can be carried out depends on bilateral agreements with Rabat, identifying those concerned and the legal checks required in each case. If Madrid and Rabat were to cooperate more closely at an operational level, some procedures could be expedited. Debate is likely to continue over transparency, child protection and the role of disinformation, while the authorities in Ceuta and Melilla deal with immediate administrative and welfare needs.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).