Two of the migrants and asylum seekers who swam to Ceuta in July 2026, walk on Trampolín beach, August 2026.
(Milan) – The Spanish government and local authorities in its North African enclave Ceuta should act urgently to provide adequate shelter to all migrants and asylum seekers living unsheltered since entering Ceuta from Morocco at the end of July, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should provide the opportunity to apply for asylum for those who want to.
“Thousands of people have been in the streets in a legal vacuum, exposed to sexual violence and without adequate shelter, food, or sanitation for almost three weeks,” said Judith Sunderland, senior associate director for refugee and migrant rights at Human Rights Watch. “Despite the challenging situation, Spain should quickly mobilize sufficient resources to ensure humane and orderly management of the crisis for the good of migrants and Ceuta residents alike.”
During a four-day research trip to Ceuta, from August 15 to 18, Human Rights Watch spoke with 76 migrants, including 42 individual interviews (37 adults and 5 unaccompanied children) and group or brief conversations with 34, including 4 unaccompanied children.
Tens of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers swam from Morocco into Ceuta between July 30-31, and it is unclear how many remain in the city. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez said on August 13 that 5,000 are still in Ceuta, while local organizations told Human Rights Watch there may be as many as 10,000.
On August 17, Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration Elma Saiz Delgado announced the installation of four tent camps in Ceuta with space for 1,500 adults, and authorities began transferring people to two sites on August 20. But they will not meet the need. Many people interviewed speculated that Spain’s government delayed assistance to
