Spanish authorities are currently monitoring social media activity that suggests a potential online campaign aimed at organizing another mass migrant crossing into the Spanish-controlled territory of Ceuta. The concern follows a significant surge last week, during which more than 72,000 people crossed illegally into the exclave. According to a spokesperson for the Spanish Interior Ministry, 70,000 of those individuals have since been returned to Morocco.
Multiple Facebook posts, which have been reviewed, suggest a renewed push for migrants to cross the border from Morocco into Ceuta on August 15, just over a week after the initial rush. These posts are circulating on two public Facebook groups, "Migration to Ceuta Inshallah" and "Moroccan migrants (Harraga Maroc)," which collectively boast more than 74,000 members. While the identities of the account holders remain unverified, one post explicitly stated, "The gathering at the border will be on Saturday, 15 August 2026, at the Ceuta crossing (Bab Sebta / El Tarajal). It will be somewhat different, God willing. August 15 is a holiday in Spain, but the border crossing operates 24/24 — there may simply be a lot of crowds."
Raul Diaz, a spokesperson for the Spanish Interior Ministry, confirmed that the National Police and the Civil Guard are actively monitoring these social media developments to gather information and make decisions based on the level of threat. Additionally, the platform is working with third-party fact-checking partners in Europe to debunk content containing misinformation.
Reports from the Spanish outlet Mañaneros indicate that a six-page document from Spanish law enforcement, based on open-source intelligence, has examined groups on Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram with memberships between 400,000 and 422,000 people. These groups have consistently referenced August 15 while discussing logistics and departure points. The Spanish Civil Guard, the body reportedly responsible for this report, has been approached for comment.
Both Spanish and Moroccan officials have attributed the recent illegal mass crossings into Ceuta and Melilla to a combination of human trafficking networks and social media-fueled misinformation. José María Gil Garre, co-director of the International Security Observatory in Madrid, compiled extensive data on the groups spreading this content. He noted that posts intensified following a July 8 Spanish Supreme Court ruling. Garre explained that the ruling was misinterpreted by smuggling networks to imply that migrants reaching Spanish soil would face no legal repercussions, similar to the "wet foot" policy once seen between Cuba and the United States.
"When the Supreme Court ruling became public, they started manipulating the ruling," Garre stated. "They claimed that if people swam into Ceuta… once they touched Spanish soil, they would no longer have any problems. But that's simply not true. You can swim into Ceuta, but you cannot leave Ceuta. If you're there irregularly, you cannot travel to mainland Spain."
This sentiment was echoed by Abdelhadi, a student from Casablanca who participated in the recent rush, believing he would be granted asylum in Europe. Upon arrival, he discovered there was no space or immediate pathway to the mainland. Diaz clarified that the Supreme Court ruling solely prohibited the immediate return of migrants who swam to the territories due to the absence of physical border barriers. According to pathologists cited by Reuters, 80 migrants lost their lives during the recent crossing attempts.
