Overview
- Spanish authorities say roughly 70,000 to 72,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on July 30–31, producing immediate rescues, several deaths, and large-scale displacement within the city.
- Magistrate María Tardón has opened preliminary proceedings and requested detailed reports from the Guardia Civil and the Policía Nacional’s UCRIF to probe possible coordination by criminal groups, prior warnings, the rescue effort and the causes and dates of the fatalities.
- The Audiencia Nacional rejected Vox’s bid to order an immediate military deployment at the border, saying such security measures fall outside the court’s remit while it decides whether it has jurisdiction over the criminal complaints.
- Political pressure on the government has intensified as the PP seeks August hearings for ministers and parliamentary committees to question Interior, Defence and Foreign officials about intelligence and operational decisions before the entry.
- Local tensions are rising: civilian neighbourhood patrols have harassed migrants and police have intervened in some incidents, and regional governments are negotiating redistribution of unaccompanied minors with some, like Cantabria, agreeing to receive children despite saying reception systems are already over capacity.