Spain’s latest border strategy appears to be working perfectly – if the goal was to encourage more illegal crossings.

According to an Associated Press report, after Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that authorities could no longer immediately return migrants intercepted at sea near the tiny territory of Ceuta (and Melilla), the Spanish enclave experienced a dramatic surge in illegal crossings less than two weeks later. Spain’s Interior Ministry says human smuggling networks quickly exploited the ruling, while critics argue it encouraged more migrants to attempt the crossing.

The timeline unfolded quickly. On July 8, Spain’s Supreme Court issued their ruling that migrants intercepted at sea near Ceuta could no longer be summarily returned to Morocco without legal proceedings. Beginning around July 20, Ceuta saw a sharp increase in crossings, with officials reporting more than 1,500 migrants swimming into the Spanish enclave over roughly a week. By July 29 and 30, Spanish media and wire- service reports estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 migrants had crossed into Ceuta, overwhelming local authorities and renewing debate over Spain’s border policies. Officials say reception centers are overflowing and local resources are stretched to the breaking point.

Thousands of migrants reportedly swam around border barriers into Ceuta, prompting local leaders to declare an emergency, urge Spain’s government to declare a national emergency, and request military assistance to regain control. Officials described the situation as “absolute chaos.”

🇪🇸 Insane footage from the Moroccan border with Spain: thousands of migrants are gathering at the border

This is exactly what Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez was aiming for. pic.twitter.com/Fb1pEKU0jj

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) July 30, 2026

Just like the invasion of the United States under President Biden, the crossings show that most of those arriving are young men.