Spain’s socialist government reportedly estimates that more than 5,000 illegal migrants remain in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta following the massive migrant invasion in late July, and that all of them could be eligible for asylum or protection under Spanish law, according to a report by El País.
The estimate includes some 2,500 potential asylum seekers and a roughly equal number of unaccompanied minor migrants, the newspaper reported Thursday, citing unnamed government sources. The figures emerged just days after Spanish authorities publicly claimed that all migrants who invaded Ceuta would be “sent back.”
The Spanish government has not publicly commented on the information reported by El País, which differs dramatically from earlier official statements about the number of migrants still in the territory.
Massive Invasion, Revised Numbers
The chaotic invasion of Ceuta late last month saw an estimated 80,000 migrants pour into the small autonomous town — a figure that has been revised upward repeatedly. Spanish Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres said the number of invaders rose from about 49,000 at the time of the events to 72,000 last week, and now stands at 80,000 as of this week.
Ceuta has a population of about 83,000, meaning the exclave effectively saw its population nearly double within hours during the dramatic incursion.
The number of migrants remaining in Ceuta has also been revised upward. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska claimed last week that about 2,000 migrants remained in the city, but El País, citing unnamed sources, reports the government now believes about 8,000 are still there — roughly ten percent of Ceuta’s population. Officials are reportedly working with a “margin of error” ranging from 7,000 to 9,000.
Who Are the Remaining Migrants?
Of the 8,000, the sources said about 5,000 could qualify for asylum or minor protections. Specifically, around 2,500 sub-Saharan individuals are currently staying at Ceuta’s El Trampolín beach and are considered “susceptible to seek asylum,” with their cases to be reviewed individually if claims are filed.
The other half of the 5,000 are unaccompanied foreign minors, whom Spanish law obliges the government to protect. So far, only a small fraction of these minors have reportedly requested assistance to return to their families. The sources detailed that 600 of the 2,500 minors are girls, and about 400 are children under the age of 13.
Spanish Youth Minister Sira Rego expressed concern over the demographic shift, telling El País: “There are increasing numbers of girls and minors of increasingly young ages. Now we must accelerate our efforts to provide care for those entitled to it, given the risk that this emergency situation will drag on.”
The remaining 3,000 migrants are described as economic migrants, mostly Moroccan adults and nationals of other countries, who have no grounds for asylum in Spain and would therefore be eligible for deportation.
Contradictory Official Statements
The new estimates stand in stark contrast to public statements by Spanish officials in recent days. Earlier this week, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares affirmed during a visit to Ceuta that all illegal migrants who entered the territory would be “sent back.”
Spanish media had also reported that about 1,400 minors remained in the city following the invasion, a figure much lower than the new estimate of 2,500. Moroccan Justice Minister this week demanded the safe return of all Moroccan minors currently in Spanish territory, including those who crossed during the chaotic events.
Even the 8,000 figure may not tell the whole story, as Juan Jesús Vivas, president of Ceuta’s local government, has said about 10,000 migrants still remain in the city — 2,000 more than the central government’s estimate.
The situation presents a significant political and logistical challenge for Spain’s socialist government, which faces pressure both to secure its borders and to handle the humanitarian needs of those within its territory. With thousands of unaccompanied minors and potential asylum seekers in need of legal processing and care, the gap between public assurances and the reported reality on the ground remains wide.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/08/13/report-spanish-govt-estimates-5000-potential-asylum-seekers-in-ceuta/