Report: Ceuta Illegal Migrant Entries Surged 191% BEFORE Invasion Began



AP Photo/Antonio Sempere

by Christian K. Caruzo 18 Aug 2026

A staggering 191 percent surge in illegal migrant arrivals at Ceuta preceded the massive late July invasion of the exclave, Spanish government authorities documented Monday.

Europapress, citing statistical data from the latest illegal migration report published by the Spanish Interior Ministry, reports that 5,013 illegal migrants entered into Ceuta by land between January 1 and August 15 of this year — 191 percent more than the 3,291 documented entries during that same time period in 2025.

The already staggering statistical data and documented surge does not take into consideration the between 72,000 to 80,000 migrants that invaded the Spanish exclave in late July. Per Europapress, the Spanish Interior Ministry stated that it requires a “specific analysis” for the Ceuta invasion separate from its regular illegal migration statistical reports.

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The Spanish Interior Ministry reportedly affirmed that, by August 15, 19,972 illegal migrants entered Spain’s territory either by sea or by land, a 9.4 percent drop than in 2025. Mainland arrivals by sea, however, have reportedly surged by 31.1 percent despite the overall drop in arrivals claimed in the report.

All those statistics, however, do not take into consideration the massive swarm that invaded Ceuta, and the about 10,000 illegal migrants that are still inside the exclave according to estimates from the office of the president of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas.

Spanish Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has instead affirmed in recent days that about “5,000” migrants remain in Ceuta after the invasion. Marlaska, and other top Spanish government officials such as Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares have publicly stated that all of the illegal migrants that are still in Ceuta will be sent back to their respective countries of origins.

No such mass deportations have taken place at press time.

Many of the migrants have setup improvised camp at the city’s beaches, where they have recently staged a protest to demand asylum benefits from the Spanish government.

A surge in illegal migrant arrivals was also documented by the Spanish authorities at the other North African exclave of Melilla. Per the report, 548 migrants entered Melilla by land between January 1 and August 15, 382 more than the same time period in 2025, for a 230.1 percent increase.

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Spanish Health Minister Claims ‘Xenophobic’ to Say Migrants Brought Diseases to Ceuta, But Admits Tuberculosis Cases


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On the other hand, 18 migrants entered Melilla by sea during the documented period, three more than in 2025.

The statistical information published by Europapress appears to indicate that mass illegal migration into Spain has shifted towards Ceuta and Melilla as its main point of arrival.

Per the report, while a surge was documented in the two exclaves — without even factoring the massive invasion of Ceuta — a 59.5 percent drop in illegal migrant arrivals at the Canary Islands was documented by the Interior Ministry this year so far. As of August 15, the Ministry reportedly logged the arrival of 4,808 migrants across 64 boats, 7,075 fewer than the 11,883 documented in 2025.

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