[REVISION HISTORY]

Ceuta migrant influx: economic aid and illegal housing

Updated 9 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-07 11:40 UTC → 2026-09-07 12:53 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The economic landscape in Ceuta has shifted with the emergence of an informal migrant economy. Migrants, locally referred to as ‘caminantes’ (walkers), have begun using Moroccan dirhams, attempting to exchange them for euros at unfavorable rates. Local supermarkets have experienced significant logistical changes, doubling their daily supply requirements to meet demand. While some retailers report increased theft, others note higher overall sales. To manage these changes and maintain order, businesses have increased private security, and the military has been deployed to provide a visible presence. In response to the broader crisis, the Spanish government has launched a support plan mobilizing 309 million euros for businesses and self-employed workers. This includes 36.6 million euros in direct aid managed by the Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria). The relief package also features 50 million euros in ICO guarantees, ERTE exemptions, and increased bonuses for permanent hiring, which will also extend to Melilla. To address housing shortages and the clandestine rental market uncovered during ‘Operation Senen’, the Spanish Government is working to establish temporary reception camps at the port and in the Los Rosales area. The port ~~facility~~ facility, coordinated by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Aecid), is expected to accommodate between 700 and 1,000 people. Following investigations into illegal housing, two men were convicted for their involvement in renting non-official spaces, such as garages and entire homes, to migrants. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has stated that irregular arrivals from the July 30 surge will not be transferred to mainland Spain, except in highly vulnerable cases. This has drawn pressure from political groups like Sumar, who advocate for the transfer of unaccompanied minors to mainland communities for humanitarian reasons.

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