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At least 72 died in Spain’s Ceuta migrant rush

The Hindu – International

2d ago

At least 72 died in Spain’s Ceuta migrant rush

Summary

Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one. Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription Published - August 02, 2026 10:17 pm IST - Ceuta, Spain Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, second left, visits the Spanish-Moroccan border in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Sunday, August 2, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP At least 72 people died during the mass influx in recent days of migrants into Spain’s Ceuta enclave, when tens of thousands of people mostly swam around the border post from Morocco, local officials said on Sunday (August 2, 2026). Only small groups of migrants were still walking around after most who crossed the small border barrier returned voluntarily to Morocco in 48 hours. The largest migrant rush into the enclave has caused an international crisis for Spain, with European partners criticising Madrid for its immigration policies. Small inflatable boats from a rescue unit scoured the waters around the border barrier that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, where a new 500-metre (1,640-feet) floating boom reinforced security. Civil Guards were also taking migrants off a bus to escort them back to the border post to return to Morocco. The border crossing was calm, with groups of workers picking up trash, clothes and rubbish left behind during the mass crossing. Spain has blamed criminal gangs for spreading rumours that a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling on immigration would allow migrants easier passage.

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The largest migrant rush into the enclave has caused an international crisis for Spain, with European partners criticising Madrid for its immigration policies.

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EU commends Spain's 'swift response' to Ceuta migrant crisis

Hundreds of migrants were pictured lined up on a beach in Ceuta to collect aid on Tuesday The European Union has praised Spain's "swift response" to the migrant crisis in Ceuta, following a meeting of the bloc's interior ministers on Tuesday. Around 72,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish territory in North Africa between 30 and 31 July, Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said. He added that an estimated 70,000 have since been returned to Morocco. At least 75 people died on the Spanish side of the border, while 11 deaths were reported in Morocco. On Thursday, Italy's right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the images from Ceuta as "shocking", writing on social media that such "uncontrolled immigration" was a security threat to Europe. Since the two countries do not share a land border, this would only apply, effectively, to flights - which appears simply to mean extra checks for passengers. Watch: Migrants started to return to Morocco after thousands entered Spain's Ceuta on 30 July The Schengen agreement eliminates border checks and now encompasses more than 450 million people and 29 countries in Europe. Denmark's immigration minister Morten Bødskov said he was "very satisfied" with Spain's quick response, but added that the incident showed "it is absolutely crucial that we have control over the EU's borders". Speaking afterwards, EU commissioner Magnus Brunner said the incident had been a "test" of European resilience and border security - which he said it had successfully "passed". The crossings came after Spain's Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish exclave, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.

Immigration2h ago

US federal judge blocks New York’s ban on ICE officers wearing masks

Judge puts hold on mask ban while allowing state law prohibiting cooperation between police and ICE (immigration enforcement agency) to stand A New York law banning US Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring that they wear visible identification has been put on hold by a federal judge. But a state law prohibiting cooperation between local police departments and ICE has been allowed to stand. The mask ruling comes after federal judges have blocked similar laws in California, Virginia and Pennsylvania that sought to ban federal immigration agents from covering their faces. US district judge Mae D’Agostino of the federal court in Albany, New York , wrote that while the state “appears to be well-intentioned in its pursuit of transparent policing”, her decision was made on constitutional arguments rather than “transparency or preferable policy decisions”. D’Agostino said that New York officials “may be correct that federal immigration officers wearing masks and not displaying viable identification creates certain dangerous situations that the face covering and identification acts remedy”. The preliminary ruling means local police officers are blocked from arresting ICE agents for covering their faces in public settings. “The United States has demonstrated a likelihood that it will succeed on its claim that [New York’s] face covering and identification acts directly regulate federal officers in violation of the supremacy clause,” D’Agostino wrote. “Whether federal law enforcement agencies have chosen to carry out such operations in a sufficiently transparent manner is an important question. But that question is not for this court to answer at the present time.” New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul , a Democrat, signed the restrictions known as the “New York mask law” in late May in response to federal immigration enforcement tactics during Donald Trump’s second presidency. James Percival, a general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS (Dept. of Homeland Security)) that oversees immigration enforcement agencies, reacted to D’Agostino’s ruling by saying on X that Democratic-led states “continue to stack losses as they try to pass unconstitutional bans on ICE officers wearing masks”. Hochul and New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, said the ruling allowing the 287(g) ban to remain in effect shows the law “is legal and will keep our communities safe”. “Local law enforcement should be focused on local matters, and New York taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for any collaboration with ICE,” they said in a joint statement. “While the court enjoined enforcement of New York’s mask ban, we stand firm in our belief that masked agents do not make New York safer.” The statement alluded to the New York government’s ability to appeal D’Agostino’s ruling, saying: “Our offices are reviewing all legal options at this time.” ICE cooperation has become a campaign issue in Hochul’s bid for re-election in November. She is facing Bruce Blakeman, a Nassau county executive, who supports ICE tactics and opposes the prohibition of cooperation with the agency.

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At least 72 died in Spain’s Ceuta migrant rush

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