In Ceuta began moving people from the Playa del Trampolín to newly established temporary reception areas on Thursday morning, 20 August 2026. According to the emergency services, the transfer is taking place in stages, initially to Loma Margarita and El Embolsamiento. A large contingent of Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil is coordinating the gathering of those affected before the first buses depart. Proceedings remained calm in the early morning, although there was traffic disruption around the access roads.
According to the central government, it had activated several sites to receive people who had been sleeping outdoors at Playa del Trampolín and in the area of Loma Colmenar – initially around 1,800 people, according to the government, with capacity planned to expand. Police sources, however, estimate that the number remaining in the beach area is considerably higher, between 3,500 and 5,000; around 3,500 food portions distributed on Wednesday are among the indicators cited. The transfer would begin once around 1,000 people had been gathered at assembly points, emergency service sources said.
The background is an ongoing emergency following large-scale border crossings in late July and early August 2026. The regular reception centre CETI has been considered overcrowded since then; informal camps have sprung up in the city. According to the authorities, they are prioritising registration, initial medical care and age assessments. Minors are to be housed separately as soon as capacity becomes available.
Key legal questions remain contested, including identification, access to the asylum procedure and possible returns following the border crossings. The government stresses the need for lawful and swift procedures and cooperation with Morocco; no reliable timetable for individual decisions is available. According to media reports, the PP and Vox are meanwhile stepping up their criticism of the central government’s management of the crisis, but have not pledged any specific operational support for the ongoing transfer. The executive points to the duty of institutional cooperation across party lines.
The situation remains fluid: according to the authorities, Ceuta is continually assessing additional capacity and logistics to speed up transfers and clear the temporary camps. Priorities include identification, protecting vulnerable groups and easing overcrowding. Further transfers to Loma Margarita and El Embolsamiento are expected in the coming hours and days, depending on conditions on the ground and the availability of transport.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).