000 Migrants

• Spain and the European Union are coordinating with Morocco to manage a sudden influx of approximately 60,000 migrants into the North African enclave of Ceuta. • The crisis may have been triggered by a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that declared the practice of pushing migrants back into Morocco without processing their applications illegal. • This legal shift is significant as it constrains the Spanish government's ability to deter arrivals, potentially increasing the pressure on border controls.

• Approximately 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta within a 24-hour period, creating a severe border crisis. • Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the breach, describing the massive surge as an "attack on Spain’s territorial integrity." • The crisis is linked to a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling stating that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot be deported.

• Approximately 50,000 migrants attempted to enter the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco this week, resulting in at least 57 deaths. • Spanish authorities reported that the majority of those who attempted the crossing had returned to Morocco by Friday evening. • The surge has prompted EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to emphasize the necessity of following entry rules and led French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to order additional border checks.

• Italy has announced a temporary suspension of the EU Schengen arrangement with Spain following the arrival of 60,000 migrants in Ceuta. • The suspension specifically impacts travelers moving between the two nations via plane or boat, effectively reinstating border checks. • In response to the crisis, French President Emmanuel Macron has deployed four mobile units and drones to strengthen controls on the French-Spanish border.