Spain has begun overhauling its immigration and asylum laws as authorities continue to deal with the aftermath of a major migration crisis in the North African enclave of Ceuta.
The Spanish government has approved draft legislation aimed at aligning national rules with the European Union’s Pact on Migration and Asylum, which entered into force this summer.
The crisis in Ceuta erupted in July, when around 80,000 people reportedly crossed illegally from Morocco into Spanish territory within a single day.
Most of those who entered have since been returned to Morocco, but around 5,000 migrants reportedly remain in Ceuta, including approximately 2,000 minors.
The fate of the minors has become one of the most contentious issues. The Spanish government wants to transfer them to mainland Spain, but no agreement has yet been reached between the central government, the opposition and Ceuta’s local authorities.
The European Commission has stressed that Spain must return people who have no legal right to remain in the EU while ensuring that the rights and protection of minors are fully respected.
New EU screening rules
The reform will extend beyond the immediate crisis in Ceuta and will introduce new procedures required under the EU migration framework, including the initial screening of migrants arriving in the country.
The new rules will also apply to the Canary Islands, where arrivals by boat have increased in recent years.
The Spanish government has classified the Ceuta crisis as a matter of national security and called for the situation to be managed under a unified command structure.
Authorities have yet to provide a complete explanation for the unprecedented mass arrival. Spanish officials have pointed to human traffickers and a social media campaign that allegedly convinced migrants they would be able to enter Ceuta and automatically apply for asylum.
Meanwhile, Morocco has criticized Madrid’s migration policies, arguing that Spain’s mass legalization of migrants earlier this year sent contradictory signals and could have contributed to increased migration pressure.
The Spanish government now faces the challenge of implementing the EU’s new migration framework while addressing the immediate humanitarian and security pressures created by the Ceuta crisis.
