Ceuta president proposes migrant internment pending expulsion

The president of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, has proposed confining migrants in a closed internment center while their expulsion from Spain is processed. The proposal follows a migration crisis in late July, during which around 72,000 people entered the enclave irregularly from Morocco. According to Spanish authorities, about 70,000 have already returned to Morocco, leaving an estimated 8,000–11,000 migrants in Ceuta Source: elnacionalve, diariolibree.

The proposal

Vivas, of the conservative Popular Party, argued that the number of migrants roaming the streets exceeds local operational capacity. "Hay que habilitar un espacio para que actúe como un centro de internamiento de extranjeros, donde se pueda ingresar a estas personas y allí permanezcan confinadas," he said, adding that they would have their freedom of movement restricted until expulsion procedures are completed Source: diariolibree. He also called for a comprehensive state plan to restore normality in the enclave.

The reaction

The central government, led by the left-wing coalition, did not endorse the confinement proposal. Minister of Territorial Policy Ángel Víctor Torres, standing alongside Vivas, emphasized the importance of family reunification for unaccompanied minors and confirmed reinforcements of the National Police, Civil Guard, and Armed Forces Source: elnacionalve. Torres avoided mentioning mass deportations or closed centers.

Public pressure

The proposal came after a protest on Sunday in Ceuta, where thousands demanded solutions to the saturation of public services. Attendance figures differ: the National Police counted about 5,000 participants, while organizers claimed over 10,000 Source: elnacionalve, diariolibree. Vivas called the march "exemplary."