Irregular entries by land to Ceuta and Melilla have seen a significant and sustained increase throughout 2026 compared to the same period last year and already exceed those of the Canary Islands. Without taking into account the 70,000 people who arrived in Ceuta at the end of July, the bi-weekly data from the Ministry of the Interior until mid-August confirm a change in trend in migration routes to Spain: on the one hand, arrivals in the Canary Islands are down by 60%, from more than 11,800 to 4,808 by August 15, and, on the other hand, the two African cities have tripled arrivals by land, while maritime arrivals are almost closed.The ministry's report indicates that irregular access by land to Ceuta has soared by 191% compared to the same period last year: 5,013 entries by June 15, compared to 1,722 recorded in mid-August 2025. That is, more than 200 people than those registered in the Canary Islands.In contrast, the maritime route between Algeria and the Balearic Islands remains stable, with a 2% increase coinciding with the summer months, with better temperatures and calm seas. 4,433 people have been recorded arriving on the Balearic coasts in 236 boats.
Care centers for 1,500 migrants, the Spanish government's response 18 days after the massive entry into Ceuta
The Spanish government will strengthen the tasks of identification and care for people living on the streets in the autonomous city
BarcelonaAmidst the tension, an agreement. Despite maintaining cross-accusations between the two administrations, the Spanish government and that of Ceuta have agreed this Monday to open four humanitarian aid points in the autonomous city to assist migrant individuals who arrived during the massive influx and are now living in precarious conditions in industrial estates and on beaches. In a press conference, the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, Elma Saiz, announced that these four new centers will offer 1,500 new places to assist adult migrants. Support that arrives 18 days after the outbreak of this migration crisis.
Saiz made these statements after a lengthy meeting with the President of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, in which both administrations agreed on where these four aid points will be set up. "Collaboration between institutions is fundamental to restoring normality as soon as possible," stressed Saiz, who praised the people of Ceuta and criticized those who want to exploit the crisis "to instill fear and introduce hate speech."
Specifically, the administrations will set up the parking lot of the Embolsamiento de Loma Colmenar, a large esplanade mainly used to regulate car queues before entering the port during the Strait Crossing operation, which has been ceded by the regional government, and the facilities of La Hípica, a covered equestrian complex with some services (such as showers and storage rooms), as well as the old football field at the Cavalry barracks and the Guano space, both owned by the State.
All these points—mostly concentrated in the western area of Ceuta, far from the city center—will need to be rapidly transformed into temporary accommodations to help decongest spaces such as the Temporary Immigrant Stay Center or Trampolín beach. However, the decision comes more than two weeks after the crisis erupted. A delay that had generated unease in the city, where for days people had been asking why spaces were not being set up as had been done during the 2021 crisis or during the pandemic.
Beyond the four humanitarian aid centers, the Spanish government has also announced that it ratifies the granting of 6.5 million to the Red Cross so that it is the entity responsible for offering support to any person in a vulnerable situation in the city. In addition, identification and care tasks for migrants remaining in Ceuta will be strengthened. It is one of the main measures that the executive has agreed after the video call meeting held this Monday by the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, with seven ministers involved in crisis management.
Two weeks after the entry of 70,000 people, thousands of migrants continue without basic care, wandering through streets and beaches. More than a hundred who have settled on Trampolí beach have started a hunger strike to request asylum in Spain. In statements to Efe, Youssef, about 40 years old, explains that the objective is to find a solution to be able to start working.
Reproaches between García and Vivas
Saiz's tone contrasts with the exchange of recriminations that this morning still involved the Minister of Health, Mónica García, and Vivas himself. In statements to TVE early this morning, García regretted that the regional government had not yet provided safe spaces to house the migrants. "In my area of responsibility, we are risking the prevention of public health and the transmission of diseases," García asserted.
Mónica García pointed out that many of the cases treated by healthcare professionals so far are due to the overcrowded and unsanitary conditions of the migrants and insisted that there is no situation of health collapse. "We demand that basically what was done in 2021 be done, which is to house all these people so that we can have control and a controlled public health situation, and so that we can carry out these epidemiological investigations that lead us, if we detect an outbreak, to contain it, treat it, provide antibiotics, and monitor patients," she added.
For his part, Vivas has been very critical of García, whom he has accused of "giving lessons in humanity and solidarity". The president of Ceuta has called on the Spanish government to effectively apply the declaration of the city as a zone of special difficulty for the practice of health professions. Vivas has accused the executive of failing in this area to fulfill the commitments set out in the Comprehensive Plan for the Socio-Economic Development of the autonomous city, which provides for guaranteeing the equality of Ceuta residents with the rest of Spaniards in essential services and establishes the consideration of Ceuta as a zone of special difficulty for professional practice.
"Doctors, healthcare professionals in general, nurses, all staff, the entire healthcare collective of Ceuta" have reasons, according to Vivas, to denounce the lack of resources, incentives, and stimuli, and has linked this issue not only to the quality of care but also to the equality of citizens and the economic roots and development of the city. Vivas also defended that attention to migrants should be maintained as long as they remain in Ceuta, but has requested that the debate does not sideline the needs of the local population.