Morocco denies facilitating migrant influx into Ceuta amid Spain tensions

The Moroccan government has strongly refuted accusations from Spanish authorities that it deliberately enabled the recent surge of migrants crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

A senior Moroccan official pointed to a Spanish court ruling on July 8 as the root cause of the crisis. The decision, which restricts the immediate repatriation of migrants arriving by sea, inadvertently created a loophole that smuggling networks quickly exploited.

According to Rabat, the ruling sent a dangerous signal to potential migrants, falsely suggesting that Spanish authorities would now provide protection upon arrival. The official condemned the double standard, stating: « Europe demands we stop the crossings, yet on the other side, they roll out the red carpet once migrants land. »

Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesús Vivas, had previously accused Morocco of actively facilitating the migration surge. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cautioned against using irregular migration as a political bargaining tool against EU member states.

In response, Morocco emphasized that it maintains robust security measures along its northern coast, with approximately 24,000 agents deployed to prevent illegal crossings. Authorities also revealed that they thwarted 79,000 attempted crossings in 2024 and an additional 74,000 so far in 2026.

Rabat stressed that cooperation with Spain on migration control was « exemplary » until the July court decision undermined deterrent mechanisms. The government urged Madrid to reinstate effective deterrence policies while rejecting any notion of supporting a purely security-driven approach to migration.