Thousands Breach Ceuta Border as Spain Deploys Military, Italy Demands Schengen Action

Thousands of migrants swam and waded into Spain’s enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Thursday, breaching the border fence in a matter of hours. At least nine people died in the attempt. Spain’s government deployed 60 armed forces and 30 additional Civil Guard officers to restore order. The crisis has triggered a diplomatic row, with Italy’s top officials calling for Spain’s suspension from Europe’s Schengen free-travel zone.

How the border breach unfolded

Migrants entered Ceuta through the Tarajal beach breakwater and across the border fence on Thursday. Spanish media estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 people crossed that day, though the Guardia Civil did not confirm exact figures. Videos showed crowds of mostly young men, along with families with women and children, swimming with inflatable rings and running through open gates. Rachid Sbihi, head of the Civil Guard officers’ association, told the Associated Press the border had “totally collapsed” and described the situation as “absolute chaos.”

Spain’s military response and political pressure

Spain’s Interior Ministry deployed 60 armed forces and 30 Guardia Civil officers to Ceuta on Thursday evening. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced he would visit Ceuta on Friday alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. The government rejected calls for a national emergency declaration, saying such measures can only be declared for meteorological events or nuclear threats. Ceuta’s regional leader Juan Jesús Vivas had urged Madrid to intervene, warning that local resources were overwhelmed.

Italy escalates with Schengen threat

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for closing the Schengen area to Spain, arguing that irregular immigration poses a threat to national security. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni echoed the demand, saying Rome was prepared to take “extraordinary measures” including suspension of Schengen. Tajani blamed Spain’s migration policy, which legalized hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants, for encouraging human trafficking. Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares summoned the Italian ambassador in response, calling Tajani’s comments “inappropriate.”

The Supreme Court ruling that triggered the crisis

Earlier in July, Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot be summarily returned to Morocco. Spain’s interior ministry said human trafficking networks exploited that ruling to encourage undocumented migration. Over 1,500 mostly young Moroccan migrants had reached Ceuta over the previous two weeks, and 60 bodies had been recovered at sea in recent months, according to regional leader Vivas. The 2021 border crisis saw more than 8,000 people arrive in just two days.

Final Thoughts

The Ceuta crisis exposes deep EU divisions over migration. With Italy demanding Schengen suspension and Spain defending its asylum policy, the bloc faces a test of its free-movement principles amid rising political pressure from anti-migration factions.

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