Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares claimed on Tuesday all illegal migrants who invaded Ceuta will be “sent back” – if they haven’t already escaped to mainland Spain and then on into Europe.
According to Spanish outlets, Albares did not present a timetable towards the deportation of all of the migrants and a return to normalcy for Ceuta.
Minister Albares traveled to Ceuta on Tuesday — 12 days after tens of thousands of illegal migrants swarmed into the city. The visit, Albares and Spanish outlets pointed out, marked the first time that a Spanish Foreign Minister has travelled to Ceuta.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with Ceuta’s local authorities, Albares affirmed that all illegal migrants who are still present in Ceuta after the invasion will be sent back to their countries of origin, mainly, to Morocco.
To achieve such a goal, Albares reportedly stated, he maintains daily conversations with his Moroccan counterpart, Naser Burita, even as illegals have reportedly already landed on the mainland before heading to other parts of Europe.
“We are working to accelerate the return to Morocco of individuals who entered irregularly and have not yet returned,” Albares said, per the public broadcaster RTVE. “My Moroccan counterpart and all the relevant institutions have conveyed their full readiness to have all those individuals returned immediately.”
The Minister reportedly affirmed that no illegal migrant that invaded Ceuta “has left the city towards the [Spanish] Peninsula, nor can they do so.”
Per El Mundo, Albares affirmed that the commitment between Madrid and Rabat is that “every last person who has irregularly entered Spain returns to Morocco.”
The Minister once again attributed the recent invasion of Ceuta to the “false interpretation” of a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that prohibited law enforcement agents from enacting pushbacks of migrants caught at sea. The Spanish Foreign Minister also applauded Morocco’s intention to have all unaccompanied Moroccan migrants in Spain return to their country.
WATCH: Thousands of Illegal Migrants from Morocco Flood into Spanish Territory
The Spanish government affirms that some 72,000 illegal migrants stormed into Ceuta during the recent invasion of the 87,000 population city. According to Spanish government officials, some “2,000” migrants still remained inside the Spanish city as of last week — however, this assertion has been largely contested by the president of Ceuta’s local government, Juan Jesús Vivas, who has instead repeatedly denounced that roughly 10,000 illegal migrants are still in the city after the invasion.
Vivas reportedly reiterated to Albares that Ceuta still suffering the effects of the invasion and conveyed his office’s 10,000 migrant estimations, many of which dwell through the city’s streets, settlements, and beaches.
Per the outlet El Español, Vivas stressed during Minister Albares’ visit that Ceuta suffered “an invasion, an assault, an attack, a violation of our territorial integrity.” Speaking on behalf of the citizens of Ceuta who feel “abandoned,” Vivas explained to reporters that he demanded more assistance from the Spanish central government — and stressed, “We believe that, up until now, the government’s response has not risen to the level demanded by the situation.”
The President of Ceuta also detailed that he stressed to Albares that the only path for the migrants in the city is their return. He reportedly emphasized that none of the migrants must receive any kind of documentation or asylum permits from the Spanish government, as this could entice other migrants and lead to a new invasion.
Although Vivas reportedly found it “positive” that, according to Minister Albares, Morocco is willing to help, the head of Ceuta’s government said that his office is yet to receive a concrete deadline from the Spanish government for the return of the migrants. Vivas stressed that it is now up to the Spanish government to utilize “all required legal initiatives” and resources to expedite the deportation proceedings.