Ceuta: Spain says most migrants have returned to Morocco
07/31/2026 July 31, 2026 US State Department lays blame with Spain, Trump draws Mexico parallel The US State Department issued a statement saying it stood
07/31/2026 July 31, 2026 US State Department lays blame with Spain, Trump draws Mexico parallel The US State Department issued a statement saying it stood with "the people of Spain, and all Europeans, against this egregious violation of their sovereignty and human rights." It seemed to link developments to a decision months ago by Sanchez's government to offer and amnesty and temporary residency permits to irregular migrants already living in Spain.
That's despite the fact that no new arrivals in Spain after it came into effect will be eligible to benefit, and Pedro Sanchez citing a different motivating factor. "This unacceptable incident is the direct result of the Spanish Government's deliberate efforts to enable and facilitate mass illegal migration into Europe," the State Department said of its NATO ally. "We are considereing actions to defend Americans at home and abroad from this threat and stand ready to assist other European allies considering similar options." US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, seemed to seek to equate the issue to the US border with Mexico and domestic elections in an interview with Fox News.
"It's terrible. Remember that picture. That's going to be us in three years if the wrong side gets in," Fox quoted him as saying. Trump and Sanchez's governemnts have clashed repeatedly in recent months over the war
in Iran and relations with Israel, among other issues. A US Congressional report published at the end of April of this year also raised eyebrows, when it described Ceuta and Melilla as "Spanish-administered cities" located "in Moroccan territory."
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