The police union Jupol has arrested three suspects in Ceuta has called for additional staff from the Policía Nacional for the Triage of arriving migrants. Secretary-General Aarón Rivero said on 14 September 2026 that initial checks of identity, grounds for protection and health must be staffed adequately so that they can be carried out swiftly but in accordance with the law. Claims that the situation can be “resolved” quickly are misleading, as current legislation requires checks that take time.
According to Rivero, triage includes registration, an initial assessment of possible asylum grounds and basic health checks, before the administration decides whether to Asylum procedures open an asylum procedure or returns consider returns following border crossings. He stressed that every step must be documented and those concerned informed of their rights. Anyone giving the impression that mass returns can be carried out in a short time is “concealing the extent of the legal requirements”.
Jupol points out that Ceuta repeatedly experiences periods of increased arrivals, when police stations and accommodation facilities reach their limits. The union believes that additional teams for registration and managing procedures are the quickest way to prevent backlogs without undermining procedural standards. This applies in particular at the interfaces between the Policía Nacional and the Delegación del Gobierno, where decisions are made on allocating people to accommodation, initiating an asylum procedure or preparing returns.
Rivero was cautious in his comments on Morocco’s role; cross-border cooperation is a matter for the political level, while reliable resources on the ground are what count in day-to-day policing. The priority is compliance with regulations, including safeguards for minors and vulnerable people.
Jupol’s demands are directed primarily at Spain’s Ministry of the Interior and the Delegación del Gobierno in Ceuta. Rivero made clear that increasing staffing on the ground should improve both officers’ safety and the legally compliant handling of cases. He gave no forecasts on timescales or specific numbers. However, he insisted that additional staff for triage and clearly defined procedures are the only sustainable response to a situation that cannot be “resolved quickly” with simple promises.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).