Government sources defended this Saturday that Ceuta and Melilla, although part of the Schengen area, maintain a specific and unique border regime in Europe that reinforces the integrity of that area through a double control: one at the border with Morocco and another at the exit towards the Peninsula, by sea or air.
According to that version, no one can travel from Ceuta or Melilla to the Peninsula without identifying themselves before the National Police at the port or airport, and shipping companies and airlines are also required to verify the documentation. That system, the same sources recall, has been in place since Spain’s accession to Schengen in 1991, in the declaration annexed to the accession agreement, and is also reflected in Article 41 of the Schengen Borders Code.
The Government insists that entering Ceuta irregularly does not grant the right to remain in Spain nor to travel to the Peninsula or the rest of Europe. In that sense, it emphasizes that none of the people who have crossed irregularly into the autonomous city have left for the Peninsula, nor could they have done so under that control regime.
The same sources point out that of the nearly 50,000 people who would have crossed irregularly, more than 48,000 have already been returned to Morocco in less than 48 hours, which, in their view, demonstrates that the control system continues to function normally.
Read more Interior currently counts 67 dead in Ceuta, awaiting a final toll
Also read
At the same time, the Executive completely dissociates these events from the extraordinary regularization process, which can only be accessed by those who prove residence in Spain before January 1, 2026, and continuous stay of five months at the time of submitting the application, so any person arriving on July 30 would be excluded.
Government sources also warn of a disinformation campaign spread through social networks and messaging applications around a recent Supreme Court ruling. According to their interpretation, that ruling does not modify the Immigration Law nor authorize stay, but merely requires the application of the ordinary return procedure.
