Morocco rejects Spanish claims it encouraged migrant surge into Ceuta

Morocco on Monday dismissed Spanish accusations that it facilitated a recent surge of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, arguing that the increase in crossings was triggered by a Spanish court ruling rather than any change in Moroccan border enforcement.

A senior Moroccan official said the migration spike followed a July 8 court decision that restricted the immediate return of migrants who reach Ceuta by sea, contending that Spanish authorities should have anticipated the ruling's impact.

According to Rabat, human smuggling networks quickly capitalized on the decision by spreading the message that migrants would be allowed to remain in Spanish territory once they arrived.

"Europe asks us to prevent crossings, but on the other hand, they roll out the red carpet when they happen," the official said.

The remarks came after Ceuta regional president Juan Jesús Vivas accused Morocco of having "encouraged and permitted" the influx of migrants. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also warned against the use of irregular migration as a means of exerting pressure on a European Union member state.

Morocco denied easing its border controls ahead of last week's mass crossings, saying it continues to maintain approximately 24,000 security personnel along its northern coastline to combat illegal migration.

Moroccan authorities said they prevented around 79,000 attempted illegal crossings in 2024 and a further 74,000 attempts since the beginning of 2026. Rabat also described its migration cooperation with Spain as "exemplary" until the July court ruling altered the legal framework governing migrant returns.

Morocco called on Spain to restore what it described as an effective deterrence mechanism while insisting it "will never be complicit in a purely security-based approach to migration."