Spain urged to to tighten ‘asylum law, border procedures, and build barriers’ if Schengen is to survive

Poland’s prime minister has urged Spain to tighten “asylum law, border procedures, and build effective barriers” if the Schengen zone is to survive.

In a post on X, Donald Tusk compared Spain’s migrant problem to Poland’s.

“Poland has tightened asylum laws, border procedures, and has built effective barriers on its border with Belarus, which is the eastern border of the EU,” he said.

“We have invested billions of euros and engaged thousands of soldiers, police officers and border guards.

“Spain must follow our example if Schengen is to survive.”

Gergana.Krasteva31 July 2026 16:47

Death toll in Ceuta migrant crisis jumps to 57

The Spanish government has revised the death toll and has confirmed that 57 people have died.

At least 14 more bodies have been recovered this afternoon.

Gergana.Krasteva31 July 2026 16:40

Smugglers ‘deceive so many young people and lead many to their deaths’

Smugglers have been blamed for the Ceuta migration crisis, with Pedro Sanchez warning that they “deceive so many young people and ultimately lead many of them to their deaths.”

The Spanish prime minister said they had misinterpreted a recent ruling from the Supreme Court, which then triggered the mass surge.

“It appears that this interpretation of the Supreme Court’s ruling spread like wildfire over the past few hours through the networks of human trafficking organisations, triggering the kind of mass surge we witnessed yesterday,” Sánchez said.

Gergana.Krasteva31 July 2026 16:30

Over half of migrants in Ceuta already returned to Morocco

A photograph taken from the outskirts of the Moroccan town of Fnideq on the Morocco-Spain border shows migrants walking along the coast of Ceuta (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP via Getty Images) (AFP/Getty)

We have just received another update on the number of migrants who have returned to Morocco today.

Efe reported that more than 37,500 out of the 50,000 people who entered Ceuta have already left, as of 3.30 pm today, according to Spanish authorities.

Gergana.Krasteva31 July 2026 16:20

Russia ‘using Ceuta crisis to sow destabilisation’ across Europe

Ukraine has accused Russia of carrying out an “intensive propaganda campaign” using pictures from Ceuta to “sow destabilisation”.

Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha‎ claimed that Ukrainian analysts have identified more than 1,500 publications on a pro-Russian network, led by Pravda and RT.

“For years, Moscow has used migration and other sensitive topics to stoke fear and destabilise European countries,” he wrote on X.

Gergana.Krasteva31 July 2026 16:07

How many migrants have returned voluntarily?

Migrants walk towards the border with Morocco to leave Spain, amid mass crossings of migrants on foot and by sea from Morocco into Spanish territory, in Ceuta, Spain, July 31, 2026. (REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer) (Reuters)

Roughly half of the 60,000 people who had crossed into Ceuta have already made their way back voluntarily, the Spanish government said.

Spanish police and military personnel deployed on the streets of the city began redirecting the flow of migrants back to Morocco.

The interior ministry, which initially refused to share estimates from the border, released its own figures shortly after Ceuta leader, Juan Jesus Vivas spoke, estimating that some 50,000 people had crossed from Morocco in the past 24 hours.

It added that 25,000 had already returned to Morocco, with hundreds more going back by the hour.

Gergana.Krasteva31 July 2026 15:57

Death toll rises to 43 after nine more bodies recovered

The bodies of another nine people have been recovered, bringing the death toll to 43.

Security forces and emergency services continue to comb the water surrounding Ceuta after warning earlier today that the number of fatalities is likely to rise over the coming hours.

Gergana.Krasteva31 July 2026 15:32

In pictures: Spain says huge surge across border into enclave has reversed

Migrants return to Morocco from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Friday, July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Sempere) (AP)Migrants try to swim through the waters close to the border with Morocco to enter Spain’s north Africa’s Ceuta enclave as security forces observe on July 31, 2026. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP via Getty Images) (AFP/Getty)Migrants cross back to Morocco after they crossed the border to enter Spain’s north Africa’s Ceuta enclave on July 31, 2026. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP via Getty Images) (AFP/Getty)Migrants cross back to Morocco after they crossed the border to enter Spain’s north Africa’s Ceuta enclave on July 31, 2026. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP via Getty Images) (AFP/Getty)

Gergana.Krasteva31 July 2026 14:30

Ceuta crisis: How arrival of 60,000 migrants into Spanish enclave could affect mainland Europe and the UK

Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez described the inflow of people as “an attack on Spain’s territorial integrity” and promised to “use all the resources of the state to guarantee security and coexistence”.

Leaders across Europe, including president of the EU commission Ursula von der Leyen, have called for swift returns of migrants back to Morocco.

UK prime minister Andy Burnham described the chaotic scenes of migrants scrambling onto the shores as a “cause for concern” and said the UK had contacted ⁠Madrid to understand the implications and ‌provide support.

Read our full story below.

Holly Bancroft31 July 2026 14:20

Spain’s border crisis could become ours, UK shadow minister says

The UK’s shadow home secretary has warned Spain’s border crisis could “rapidly become our border crisis” after an estimated 60,000 migrants have poured into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco.

Conservative MP Chris Philp called on the Spanish government to “expel” the people who had entered Ceuta, and urged the them “not allow any onto the Spanish mainland”.

“If these illegal immigrants do make it to Spain, then the EU’s borderless Schengen zone means there is nothing to stop them coming straight to Calais and trying to get a boat across the Channel here. Spain’s border crisis could rapidly become our border crisis,” he said.

“That’s why the Conservative policy is to leave the ECHR enabling all illegal immigrants to be deported with a week or arrival – with no asylum claim, no human rights claim and no court hearing.

“Then illegal immigrants like these circulating in Europe wouldn’t bother to cross to the UK.”

Athena Stavrou31 July 2026 14:10