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Migration Surge on the Spain-Morocco Border

Our Madrid bureau chief, Jason Horowitz, visits the coastal town of Ceuta, a Spanish territory in North Africa where there has been an unprecedented influx of migrants crossing the border from Morocco.

Spain Installs Floating Barrier in Ceuta After Influx of Migrants

1 août 2026 à 11:28
Most of those who came to the territory, a Spanish exclave in Africa, have returned across the border to Morocco. At least 67 people died trying to enter, the authorities said.

© Finbarr O'Reilly for The New York Times

Migrants waiting for humanitarian assistance on a beach in the Spanish territory of Ceuta on Saturday.

How 50,000 Migrants Surged Into Ceuta, a Spanish Exclave Near Morocco

1 août 2026 à 00:01
On Thursday, tens of thousands of Moroccans broke into Ceuta, a Spanish territory that neighbors Morocco. By Friday evening, most of them had left, hungry and disappointed.

© Abdel Majid Bziouat/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Migrants near the Spain-Morocco border on Friday. Tens of thousands of people illegally entered the Spanish territory of Ceuta this week, though by Friday’s end most had returned.

Thousands of Migrants Surge Into Ceuta from Morocco, Prompting Political Backlash

31 juillet 2026 à 22:35
A sudden exodus of migrants from Morocco startled Spanish officials and drew heavy criticism from right-wing parties across the continent.

© Antonio Sempere/Associated Press

Migrants at the Morocco-Spain border near Ceuta on Friday.

Migrants Surge Into Spanish Territory, Prompting Political Backlash

31 juillet 2026 à 16:57
A sudden exodus of migrants from Morocco startled Spanish officials and drew heavy criticism from right-wing parties across the continent.

© Antonio Sempere/Associated Press

Migrants at the Morocco-Spain border near Ceuta on Friday.

Migrants Surge Into Spanish Territory, Triggering Political Backlash

31 juillet 2026 à 16:20
A sudden exodus of migrants from Morocco startled Spanish officials and drew heavy criticism from right-wing parties across the continent.

© Antonio Sempere/Associated Press

Migrants at the Morocco-Spain border near Ceuta on Friday.

What Caused the Surge of Migrants From Morocco Into Ceuta?

1 août 2026 à 10:56
Speculation has focused on lax Moroccan policing, attractive Spanish immigration policies and misinformation from human traffickers. In reality, experts said, it’s too early to know.

© Jon Nazca/Reuters

A Spanish soldier keeping watch on Friday at the Spanish-Moroccan border.

Young Men Poured Into Ceuta Seeking Work

31 juillet 2026 à 15:18
Several migrants said they had been motivated by social media messages claiming that the Spanish border was open, though the origin of those messages remained unclear.

© Jorge Guerrero/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Migrants sat on a rocky stretch of beach in North Africa on Friday after swimming across the Moroccan border to enter the Spanish territory of Ceuta.

Ceuta Evokes Europe’s 2015 Migration Crisis. But Much Has Changed Since.

31 juillet 2026 à 13:16
The crossing of 50,000 people to Spanish territory this week has created a crisis for the Spanish government, much as the 2015 migration crisis did for Europe’s leaders. The context is different.

© Antonio Sempere/Associated Press

Migrants resting outside a migrant reception center on Friday after crossing from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta.

Far-right politicians seize on Ceuta

31 juillet 2026 à 11:55
Several migrants who crossed into Ceuta attributed their arrival to lax Moroccan border protocols. But Europe’s anti-immigrant politicians blamed Spain’s migrant-friendly policies.

© Simon Wohlfahrt/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

French far-right National Rally party president Jordan Bardella speaking in Lievin, northern France, in July.

Spain’s Leader Rushes to Ceuta After Thousands of Migrants Burst Across Border

31 juillet 2026 à 04:38
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was set to arrive in Ceuta, a Spanish territory in Africa, amid an escalating crisis for his pro-immigration government.

© Fabian Bimmer/Reuters

Spanish soldiers patrolling near the border with Morocco in Ceuta, North Africa, on Friday.
Reçu — 30 juillet 2026 NYT > World News
  • ✇NYT > World News
  • What to Know About Ceuta
    The peninsula on Morocco’s northern coast, which Spain has governed for centuries, has been a frequent site of mass migrant crossings and political tensions.
     

What to Know About Ceuta

1 août 2026 à 10:49
The peninsula on Morocco’s northern coast, which Spain has governed for centuries, has been a frequent site of mass migrant crossings and political tensions.

© Abdelmajid Bziouat/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

People gathered Thursday on the Morocco-Spain border near Ceuta and the Moroccan town of Fnideq.

Thousands of Migrants Enter Ceuta, a Spanish Enclave, From Morocco

31 juillet 2026 à 06:14
The arrivals in Ceuta, a six-mile-long peninsula on Morocco’s northern coast that Spain has governed for centuries, have fueled political tensions.

© Antonio Sempere/Associated Press

Migrants crossing from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Thursday.
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