As many as 48,000 migrants are reported to have returned to Morocco: “We were lied to”

©Rushi Shah via Unsplash

Within 24 hours, an estimated 50,000–60,000 people entered the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, either by swimming or across the land border. Less than a day later, at least 48,300 of them turned back to Morocco. “We were lied to—we were told we could easily get to Europe. But there’s nothing here. Not even food,” 18-year-old Mohamed told El País. “It’s as if we were animals. There’s no food, no water. People threw stones at us,” 17-year-old Hamza told El Diario.

The images are harrowing: while divers search the coast for bodies, a long procession of people makes its way back across the breakwater. The death toll has risen to at least 57. Many say they were encouraged via WhatsApp and Discord to make the journey, with messages claiming the borders would be open and that they would receive shelter and a visa for Algeciras. “It all turned out to be a lie,” says Mohamed.

Reception center in Ceuta overwhelmed

Ceuta, with a population of barely 83,000, was unable to handle the massive influx. The CETI reception center, with 512 beds, had been overcrowded for days; hundreds tried to force their way into the center, prompting a massive deployment of national police. People slept on cardboard or in parks; stores remained closed on Friday for fear of looting. The president of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, criticized Madrid for reacting “too slowly” and accused Morocco of allowing the situation to escalate.

"Everyone has returned"

According to Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, “practically everyone” who entered Ceuta has already returned. “Travel to the mainland requires identification at a police checkpoint. The integrity of Schengen is guaranteed,” he wrote on X. EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner confirmed that no one has traveled on to the mainland. Italy did, however, announce temporary border controls for shipping and air traffic from Spain.

“Morocco is considered a safe country; asylum is not guaranteed for Moroccan youths,” says migration expert Johan Wets (KU Leuven) in Het Nieuwsblad. “But for people from sub-Saharan Africa, Ceuta may offer a chance at an asylum procedure.” For many, the dream of Europe remains intact, even after this disappointment. “Anything is better than life in Morocco,” says Hamza. “But this isn’t really it either.”

©Rushi Shah via Unsplash - illustrative image