Hundreds of migrants, many from Morocco, remain in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, clinging to hopes of reaching mainland Spain after a sudden surge of tens of thousands crossed the border from Morocco. The influx, which saw an estimated 60,000 people breach the border Thursday and Friday, has caused a humanitarian crisis and rekindled debate around immigration.
By Sunday, many of those who had crossed had returned to Morocco, but some, like Dikra, a 20-year-old from Morocco, remained. Dikra, who asked that her last name be withheld for safety, arrived in Ceuta with her sister and cousin after swimming across the Strait of Gibraltar. She is receiving meals from local residents and is uncertain about her next steps but is determined not to return to Morocco, where she said she wants to use her hairdressing diploma in continental Spain.
Abdel Karim, 35, also from Morocco, was waiting outside Ceuta's official migration reception center. Karim, who had previously lived in mainland Spain before being expelled from France, described the stress and depression associated with deportation. He learned about the crossing through social media and took advantage of the chaotic situation, arriving with only 10 euros. He expressed a desire to find any work available in Spain and was undeterred by the challenge of reaching the mainland.
Ceuta and the nearby city of Melilla are not part of the European Union's Schengen area, meaning travelers must undergo border checks upon arrival in mainland Europe. On a Ceuta beach Sunday evening, hundreds of migrants who had arrived days earlier gathered, with some receiving water from Spanish soldiers distributing supplies from an army truck.
Cesse Aliou, 25, a Senegalese migrant, rested with a group of sub-Saharan men and women near a shelter. Aliou said he left a precarious call center job in Morocco and traveled to Fnideq before swimming to Ceuta. The conditions in Ceuta were difficult, with migrants struggling for food and rest. A scuffle over water brought by locals highlighted the challenging situation.
The humanitarian crisis sparked by the rapid migration has reignited discussions about immigration policies in Europe and beyond. At least 72 deaths were reported during the crossing.