Spanish officials received explicit early warnings about online plans for a mass migrant crossing into the North African enclave of Ceuta just days before tens of thousands of people arrived, according to newly declassified intelligence documents. The release of the 40 documents has sparked political debate in Madrid and raised renewed questions regarding neighboring Morocco's role during the late July border emergency.
On July 29, Spain’s National Intelligence Center (CNI) sent an urgent alert to government delegates warning that social media groups with 180,000 followers were organizing an assault on the Ceuta border fence and sea routes for the following evening. The CNI also shared the information with Moroccan intelligence services, noting that organizers intended to exploit Morocco’s national Throne Day celebrations on July 30. Despite the advance warning, more than 72,000 people poured into the small Spanish city over two days.
A subsequent CNI report from July 30 assessed that Moroccan authorities likely did not actively organize the migratory wave, but had acted in a "negligent and passive manner," deploying only minimal riot control forces as crowds gathered along the coast. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez rejected claims of government negligence, writing on X that while officials monitored the online campaign, the intelligence did not foresee the unprecedented scale of the influx. However, opposition leaders from the Popular Party accused the administration of ignoring clear warnings.
Over a month after the surge, thousands of migrants and asylum seekers—including around 1,200 minors—remain in Ceuta, placing severe strain on the enclave of 84,000 residents. The Spanish central government has pledged $357 million in financial assistance to help local authorities manage the ongoing humanitarian and logistical crisis.