Spain apologises to Ceuta residents and announces immigration law overhaul

The Spanish cabinet has formally apologised to residents of the North African enclave of Ceuta for the ongoing migrant situation that began with a mass crossing from Morocco on 30-31 July. Defence Minister Margarita Robles told a parliamentary committee, "I want to apologise to all those who may have felt, or who even still feel, abandoned or not sufficiently cared for."

Authorities said at least 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta, many swimming around the border fence, and the mayor reported more than 100 deaths. While most migrants returned to Morocco within hours, several thousand, including many children, remain on the streets and beaches.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government has declared the episode a national-security concern and transferred coordination of the response to Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres, relieving local officials of that duty. At the same time, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced forthcoming changes to Spain’s migration and asylum legislation to align with new EU rules and to make the process "orderly, efficient, and… [provided] all possible guarantees."

The proposed reforms would cap the period for medical, biometric and legal assessments of undocumented arrivals at three days, down from the current seven-day allowance. In parliament, Robles said intelligence agents had warned security forces of a possible crossing before it occurred, a claim that Grande-Marlaska disputed, stating no prior report had indicated the event.

Opposition figures have suggested Morocco bears responsibility, with People's Party member Esther Muñoz asserting the crisis had been developing for years and accusing Moroccan authorities of testing Spain’s response capacity.

"The crisis in Ceuta didn't begin on 30 July," she said.

The government faces pressure to resolve the situation, as Ceuta’s 84,000-strong population has expressed concerns about the sustainability of the current conditions.