On 3 November 2026, the Spanish government put the number of people who had returned from Ceuta to Morocco at 14,818. That is 995 more than in the previous week's tally. The figures were updated after the cabinet meeting in Madrid. Elma Saiz, the Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, presented the figures at the press conference and spoke of a steady decline in occupancy in the autonomous city.
According to the government, 14,180 cases involved voluntary returns, while 638 people were deported following formal procedures. Saiz also said that 6,113 people had been registered and assessed in an initial review, a step described as triage to clarify each person's status and the procedures to follow.
Minors remain a particular focus. The statement said that 3,650 minors were currently in the regional protection system. Authorities say that ongoing assessments of protection needs, investigations into family origins and possible reunifications are continuing. For adults, the government is pursuing orderly returns and transfers within Spain that are already under way.
The temporary reception centres in Ceuta are to be “wound down as quickly as possible”, according to reports. The conditions for an organised process include, the Ministry of the Interior coordinated operations by the security forces and agreed procedures with the Moroccan authorities. The government stresses that these arrangements are continually updated to ease pressure on capacity in Ceuta and safeguard legal proceedings.
The latest figures come against the backdrop of the mass arrival of people at the end of July, which led to a short-term strain on local services. The departments commented only briefly on the causes and consequences in their latest briefing; earlier references to the activities of smuggling networks were not accompanied by any new details. It is also unclear to what extent longer-term solutions are available in Morocco for those returning.
The figures and assessments presented come from the press conference following the Council of Ministers as well as from current statements by the Ministry of the Interior dated 3 November 2026. Further changes will depend on the government’s weekly updates and consultations with Morocco.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).