Ceuta faces humanitarian crisis after massive border surge

Mayor-President Juan Jesús Vivas Lara told EU officials on Thursday that the territory is far from returning to normal operations. With reception centers at full capacity, an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 migrants remain in the city. Local residents have organized an impromptu census, identifying more than 5,000 minors who are currently living on the streets.

These children and teenagers are increasingly forced to beg for food and clothing as local facilities fail to accommodate the sudden spike in demand. The situation has turned dire, with local media reporting violent crimes, including the rape of a minor during the chaos of the initial entry. Vivas characterized the event as a crisis of enormous proportions, emphasizing that the enclave’s resources are completely exhausted.