Spain says it is “impossible” to know how many irregular migrants remain in Ceuta

Spain’s Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, said Monday that it is “impossible” to provide an accurate count of how many irregular migrants remain in Ceuta after the mass arrival from Morocco in late July, despite the government previously estimating the number at around 5,000.

According to 20 Minutos, Torres said in an interview with Cadena SER Canarias that at least 4,000 people have voluntarily returned to Morocco since August 10, while authorities have identified at least 2,000 migrant minors.

However, the final figure remains uncertain. Many of those who entered the Spanish autonomous city are reportedly scattered among reception centers, makeshift camps, hidden locations or relatives’ homes, with some lacking legal documentation.

The Spanish National Court announced Monday that it will investigate the events, describing the mass entry as potentially constituting “criminal conduct” that seriously affected Spain’s territorial integrity.