Ceuta migrant surge diplomatic row

In late July 2026 a large wave of migrants from Morocco entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, with officials reporting thousands of arrivals and dozens of deaths. Spain responded by declaring a state of emergency, deploying military and police forces, and seeking EU assistance. Israeli UN ambassador Danny Danon seized on the crisis to criticize Spain, accusing it of hypocrisy over its African enclaves, while Spanish politicians denounced the influx as an invasion.

The following day the United States joined the diplomatic fallout, with the State Department and President Donald Trump alleging that Spain had deliberately facilitated the migration flow. The U.S. accusation prompted calls from several EU members, including Italy and Denmark, to suspend Spain’s participation in the Schengen area. Spanish authorities and EU representatives rejected the claims, emphasizing that border controls remained in place and that most migrants were being returned to Morocco.