Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta is struggling to cope with the thousands of migrants who remain after a massive border rush last week. The Spanish government estimates that about 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco over the past four days, exceeding initial estimates of around 50,000 arrivals in Ceuta on Thursday.

Diplomatic Fallout

The crisis has fueled anti-immigration rhetoric throughout Europe and sparked diplomatic tensions within the European Union over border policy. Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares criticized Italy’s government for amplifying misinformation and accused some EU partners of an unhelpful and polarizing response.

Local authorities in Ceuta are struggling to provide for the migrants, with the city’s leader Juan Jesus Vivas stating that its two migrant reception centers have ‘collapsed’. The city is processing 862 migrant minors, who enjoy special legal protections from deportation.

Morocco’s Interior Ministry blamed the surge on misinformation on social media, human trafficking networks, and misinterpretation of a Spanish court ruling banning immediate returns of migrants intercepted at sea. However, Ceuta’s Vivas was critical of Rabat, saying there was a widespread perception within Ceuta that Morocco had allowed, if not orchestrated, the crisis.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.