Spain's Migrant Return Strategy in Ceuta Fails As Thousands Remain Uncontrolled

The Spanish government has failed in its strategy to return all migrants who entered Ceuta irregularly on July 30, despite its efforts to appease Morocco, with around 6,500 people still roaming the autonomous city without control,. Three weeks after the worst migrant influx in the city's history, the government of Pedro Sánchez is still searching for formulas to handle a process that looks set to drag on. Its tactic of flattering the neighboring country with kind words about its border management has not yielded results, and 22 days after the mass entry, it is still seeking solutions.

In just two weeks, the government has gone from assuring that all migrants who entered, including minors, would be sent back, to deploying tents in Ceuta to rehouse those who had camped on the beach. This is the second time this legislative term that the government has trusted Morocco and come away burned: it had relied on its shift in stance on Western Sahara, recognizing Rabat's autonomy proposal, to guarantee effective border control, but the avalanche has confirmed there is no such shield.