Italy warns Spain of Schengen suspension amid Ceuta crisis

Italy reacted by warning it could reinstate border checks with Spain.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on X: "The images coming from Ceuta are striking and demonstrate, once again, that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe's borders."

“Italy will not stand by and watch. We are convening the relevant bodies, and following these meetings, we are prepared to intervene with extraordinary measures to defend the borders and the safety of citizens, including the suspension of the Schengen Area with Spain," she concluded.

Agenzia Nova reported, citing Spanish media, that some 2,000-3,000 people managed to enter Ceuta in a single day, after 1,500-2,000 arrivals had been recorded over the previous ten days. Most were young Moroccans, women, children, and entire families

At the early stage of emergency, security forces concentrated efforts on rescuing those at sea and assisting the injured, “abandoning the attempt to intercept some of the migrants advancing into the city.”

Police reported “operational collapse” with detention centers remaining full and hundreds sleeping in the streets.

Ceuta’s president Juan Jesus Vivas called the situation a “total humanitarian and social emergency” and urged a national state of emergency and army deployment.

Madrid initially rejected the request, but later ordered the strengthening of the state presence and deployment of additional security units.

Spain and Morocco agreed to strengthen border surveillance and speed up readmissions for irregular migrants.

Madrid blamed criminal groups for spreading false information and driving mass departures, while Rabat pointed to trafficking networks as the immediate cause and praised its migration cooperation with Spain as “exemplary.”

The situation recalls May 2021, when between 8,000 and 12,000 people entered Ceuta amid diplomatic tensions.

A recent Supreme Court ruling may have also fueled the surge. Judges decided that the so-called “hot returns” - immediate repatriations to Morocco for those crossing the fences in Ceuta and Melilla - cannot be automatically applied to migrants intercepted at sea. Those attempting to swim to the enclaves must be identified and granted access to asylum procedures and legal safeguards.

Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares summoned Italy’s ambassador after Tajani’s remarks, calling them “unworthy” of a partner country.

"This message is unbecoming of the Foreign Minister of a partner and friendly country from which we expect European solidarity and not partisan demagoguery. Today's events are related to a court ruling, having nothing to do with what the tweet says. I have summoned the Italian Ambassador tomorrow.," Albares wrote on X.

Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, in his statement on X, said that Spain is fully committed to providing an immediate response to the situation in Ceuta.

“We are mobilizing all necessary resources, working with Moroccan and international authorities, and preparing the necessary measures to restore normalcy as soon as possible. I just conveyed this to President Juan Vivas Lara. This is the moment to build solutions, with responsibility and cooperation,” the post reads.

As it was reported, in late May, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a new policy memo stating that most foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in the United States will now be required to apply for a Green Card from outside the country via consular processing.