The Spanish government released updated figures on returns following the mass irregular entry via Ceuta Government spokesperson Elma Saiz said that, since 10 August 2026, a total of 15,671 people had returned from Ceuta to Morocco Of these, 14,942 were voluntary returns, 277 deportations and 452 repatriations. The figures come from the remit of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, headed by Saiz.
The statement follows the authorities’ ongoing effort to quantify movements, under way since the summer. The Spanish government cites the exceptional border crossings into Ceuta at the end of July 2026 and their aftermath as its frame of reference. The categories listed distinguish between voluntary return decisions and measures taken by the authorities: deportations are administrative decisions against people without the right to reside; repatriations take place following checks on identity and origin, in cooperation with the Moroccan authorities. The government stresses that these procedures are counted and documented separately.
In her statement on 10 November, Saiz provided no further figures on the number of people who had applied for asylum after crossing the border or whose cases were still under judicial review. It also remained unclear how many of those returning voluntarily had previously had access to advice or support. However, the Spanish government’s account indicates that coordination with Morocco is a prerequisite for deportations and repatriations, and that the categories have been recorded cumulatively since 10 August.
The Europa Press reported the updated total and its breakdown by type of procedure. The agency report, also Infobae published by La Moncloa also referred to the new tally and its timeframe since 10 August. An earlier official overview from
had already explained the practice of regularly publishing updated data on movements in the border region. The latest figures flesh out this approach with an updated cumulative total. The publication therefore answers the question of the scale of return movements since August, but leaves open detailed questions about individual cases. Further clarification on asylum procedures, appeals and the respective criteria for classifying cases as deportations or repatriations would make it easier to compare the data with other official overviews.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).