Spain has asked the European Commission for operational support with triage and case processing for the migrants remaining in Ceuta . Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska wrote to Beate Gminder of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs on 28 August 2026. He is requesting staff and expertise from Frontex, Europol and the European Union Agency for Asylum, to speed up identification, interviews, asylum assessments and administrative processing.
The move follows an offer from the Commission on 21 August, which Gminder had conveyed to Spain’s ambassador to the EU, Marcos Alonso. According to the Interior Ministry, the requested reinforcement is intended to support ongoing national procedures while also improving cooperation on necessary returns. Specific numbers and deployment periods would have to be set out in further discussions; the EU agencies’ involvement depends on the agreed mandate and legal framework.
In parallel, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska is requesting an extension of Operation Minerva, a joint operation by the Policía Nacional and Frontex at the ports of Algeciras, Tarifa and Ceuta. The mission, which supports checks under Operación Paso del Estrecho, was originally scheduled to run until 2 September 2026. Madrid is seeking its continuation to meet the increased processing needs following the events of 30 and 31 July 2026.
The government cites the exceptional situation since late July, as a result of which a larger number of people continue to remain irregularly in Ceuta. The requested support includes, in particular, specialist teams for interviews and identity checks, translation and documentation assistance and, in Europol’s case, analytical capacity on smuggling networks. The European Union Agency for Asylum is to provide expert support with protection procedures and Dublin checks.
In addition to financial support—Spain requested extra funding from EU funds on 24 August 2026—the Interior Ministry stresses that the measures are intended to speed up processes while ensuring due process. It also points out that decisions on returns, admissions or the granting of protection must be made in each individual case in accordance with the law in force. The government made no statements about possible timescales or case numbers.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).