At least 57 people have died during a massive surge of illegal immigrants attempting to enter the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco. An estimated 50,000 people attempted the crossing, although Spanish authorities said most returned to Morocco by Friday evening.
European Response
Italy has temporarily restored some border controls on travel from Spain, and France has ordered extra checks along its border with Spain. The incident has sparked concerns about European borders and the ability of countries to control the flow of illegal immigrants.
Spanish authorities said they would try to expel those who entered illegally as quickly as possible, despite a recent ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court that migrants arriving by sea cannot be returned to Morocco. The US State Department criticized Spain’s immigration policies, saying the incident was a direct result of the Spanish government’s “deliberate efforts to enable and facilitate mass illegal migration into Europe.”
Political Fallout
The incident has put pressure on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, with the leader of Spain’s far-right opposition party Vox calling him a “traitor” for his handling of the situation. The US President also weighed in, warning that the migrant surge was an example of what’s to come if Republicans aren’t elected in November.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
