60,000 migrants flood Spain's Ceuta, EU calls it unacceptable, Trump warns US

A sudden influx of around 60,000 migrants into Spain's enclave of Ceuta in northern Morocco has triggered a major crisis for Spain and raised concerns across the European Union.

The scale of the influx is enormous compared with Ceuta's population of around 80,000. Local regional president Juan Jesus Vivas estimated that nearly 60,000 migrants entered the Spanish territory over the past two or three days.

The sudden arrival has pushed Madrid to step up security in the enclave. Spain has deployed troops and additional police personnel, including divers, along with drones and boats. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his interior minister also travelled to Ceuta on Friday.

At least 34 people have died while trying to reach the Spanish territory. Most of them drowned while attempting to swim around the border barriers. Spanish authorities have sent military reinforcements to the area, while the European Union has offered support to help restore order along the frontier.

The migrant influx has also triggered political tensions across Europe. Italy has raised the possibility of "extraordinary measures" over concerns about the bloc's external borders, while Spanish officials have accused some European politicians of using the crisis for political gain.

Sanchez blames traffickers

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez blamed people traffickers for the sudden movement of migrants into Ceuta. He said the groups had spread rumours about a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that irregular migrants arriving by sea could not be immediately returned.

"What has emerged from our talks with Moroccan authorities is that trafficking mafias took a self-serving interpretation of a Supreme Court ruling," he said. That interpretation "spread like wildfire in recent hours."

The ruling in question was issued by Spain's Supreme Court on July 8. It determined that the immediate return of a migrant without opening an administrative expulsion procedure does not apply to people arriving by sea.

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The large crowds entering a member state of the European Union, which normally does not enforce border controls between member states, have also triggered a diplomatic backlash.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen described the scenes in Ceuta as "unacceptable" in a social media post. She added: "We cannot allow anyone to come to our (European) Union without abiding by our rules."

EU nations react

Italy called on Thursday for Spain to be suspended from Europe's open borders Schengen zone. Spain responded by summoning Italy's ambassador and accusing Rome of exploiting the crisis for political gain.

Finland and Denmark backed Italy's call on Friday. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also demanded that Morocco "take back illegal migrants immediately".

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen took a tougher stance and said the European Union should consider suspending Spain from the Schengen free movement area. The system allows free movement between 29 European countries.

"It goes without saying that the EU must immediately take all necessary measures and consider all options, including a suspension of Schengen cooperation. Uncontrolled immigration poses a threat to Europe and to Denmark," Mette Frederiksen was quoted as saying by AFP.

Trump weighs in

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump described the migrant crisis in Ceuta as "terrible" and said the United States could face a similar situation if the opposition Democratic Party wins elections.

"It's terrible. Remember that picture. That's going to be us in three years if the wrong side gets in," he was quoted as saying by Fox News. “If the Democrats get in, you will not live a very good life.”