Italy enacts Schengen suspension with Spain after 60,000 migrants cross into Ceuta
Rome introduces border checks on air and sea arrivals from Spain after an estimated 60,000 migrants entered the North African enclave in recent days, with France, Denmark and Finland backing tougher measures.
The Ceuta surge
A sudden wave of migrants overwhelmed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Thursday and Friday, with estimates reaching 60,000 people entering the tiny territory on Morocco’s coast, according to Spanish authorities. Most swam around the Tarajal breakwater or forced land crossings, with around 48,300 of them returning to Morocco by Friday afternoon. On Thursday alone, between 2,000 and 3,000 people entered, TVE reported. The influx pushed reception centres beyond capacity, and Madrid deployed army units to support the Guardia Civil and National Police with logistics and security.
Nine bodies were recovered near Ceuta on Thursday, raising the toll of migrants who died trying to reach Spanish soil to 60 over recent months, according to the Moroccan Association for Human Rights. The scenes revived memories of the spring 2021 crisis, when roughly 8,000 people crossed into Ceuta in a few days.
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’s partial suspension
Italy moved faster than any other European Union member. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for closing the Schengen area with Spain on X, citing the Madrid government’s decision to grant legal status to more than 500,000 irregular migrants as a policy that encourages human trafficking. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni followed with a post saying Italy was prepared to adopt “extraordinary measures,” including suspending the Schengen area with Spain, and would “not yield an inch” on illegal immigration.
On Friday, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announced the temporary suspension of Schengen rules for passengers arriving from Spain by air or sea, obliging travellers to present identity documents. He also coordinated with French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to strengthen controls on the Franco-Italian land border to prevent secondary movements of migrants coming from Spain.
Irregular, uncontrolled immigration poses a danger to national security. The images coming from Ceuta show how the Madrid Government's decision to grant Spanish, and therefore European, citizenship to over 500,000 irregular immigrants is profoundly wrong and encourages human trafficking.
Europe tightens borders
France activated its Border Rapid Intervention Force for deep checks at the Franco-Spanish frontier, with Nuñez noting that existing controls had already been reinforced. “We have a mobile unit on duty 24 hours a day,” he told RTL. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen urged Brussels to “consider all options,” including suspending Spain from Schengen, to avoid a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis. Finland’s Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said Spain had “completely failed” to protect the external Schengen border and supported Italy’s suspension proposal. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš blamed the Spanish legalisation programme for encouraging the flow.
- 2,000 to 3,000 migrants enter Ceuta by swimming or climbing fences; Spain deploys army units.
- Foreign Minister Tajani and PM Meloni demand Schengen closure with Spain, criticising Madrid’s regularisation of over 500,000 migrants.
- Interior Minister Piantedosi announces temporary border checks on air and sea arrivals from Spain.
- Interior Minister Nuñez activates rapid intervention force at the Franco-Spanish frontier.
- Foreign Minister Albares calls Tajani’s remarks unbecoming and summons the Italian ambassador.
- Authorities estimate up to 60,000 migrants entered Ceuta in recent days; 48,300 returned to Morocco.
Madrid pushes back
Spanish Foreign Minister José Luis Albares called Tajani’s remarks “unbecoming of the Foreign Minister of a partner and friendly country” and summoned the Italian ambassador in Madrid. Spain had already rushed 200 specialised police and 60 military personnel to Ceuta from the mainland. The Spanish Interior Ministry accused trafficking networks of exploiting the regularisation programme to boost migrant flows.
EU and US reactions
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the Ceuta images unacceptable and demanded returns to Morocco. Yet officials in Brussels stressed that no legal mechanism exists to expel or suspend a country from Schengen; only temporary border checks can be reinstated. The Commission noted the crisis remained confined to Ceuta, with no secondary movements recorded. In Washington, President Donald Trump described the events as a “catastrophe” and told cabinet members that “they are coming in by the tens of thousands, they are simply invading the country,” blaming weak laws and very liberal legislation for the disorder.
