Europe’s illegal migration crisis plumbed astonishing new depths today as thousands of undocumented men from Morocco stormed the border into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Distressing footage shared on social media shows men entering the territory, perched on the northern tip of Morocco, by both land and sea. As they broke through border barricades and poured into Spanish territory, the jubilant migrants chanted: ‘Viva España!’
Authorities in Ceuta have begged Madrid for help, declaring a ‘total humanitarian and social emergency’. But naturally, Spain’s left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has refused to deploy the military to contain the invaders. Despite the dire scenes, his government has also declined to declare a state of emergency, arguing that migration does not fall within the legal definition of one.
Instead, Sánchez posted on social media:
This is the moment to build solutions, with responsibility and cooperation.
How reassuring. The Prime Minister, often hailed by the European left as a trailblazing social democrat, has vowed to grant ‘amnesty’ to 1.5 million illegal migrants already in Spain, handing them full legal status and the right to work. Mr S can hardly be surprised that such an enticing offer has brought yet more people knocking at the door.
Ceuta, a city of just 84,000 people, received 1,500 migrants last week alone. Its mayor, Juan Jesús Vivas, likened the scale of the influx to one million illegal migrants arriving at the Spanish mainland. With this latest influx of undocumented men flooding into EU territory, Mr S fears it’s only a matter of time before they head to France and purchase a one-way dinghy ticket to Dover.
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