Rome tightened controls after around 72,000 people illegally entered Spanish territory in Morocco
Spain has given fellow EU and NATO member Italy a deadline to end border controls introduced following a massive influx of migrants into Ceuta, Spain’s enclave in Morocco.
Around 72,000 people illegally entered Ceuta last week in a matter of hours, reigniting fears of a new migrant crisis in Europe. Although the majority have since been sent back, between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain on Spanish territory, according to local officials.
The surge came shortly after Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants intercepted at sea while trying to swim into Ceuta or Melilla could not be immediately deported. According to Reuters, migrants were also encouraged by misleading viral videos on social media.
Several EU leaders responded to the incident by calling for Spain to be excluded from the bloc’s Schengen borderless travel zone. On August 1, Italy introduced temporary border controls on travelers arriving from Spain. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the measure was adopted to “safeguard national security and prevent possible repercussions.”
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