On a crowded shoreline, migrants are waiting for answers while officials debate how far Spain’s responsibility should extend.

In Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, hundreds of migrants held a demonstration on the city’s El Trampolín beach on August 16. They demanded that Spanish authorities grant them asylum rather than return them to Morocco.

The protest was attended by people who had recently crossed the border following a mass influx of migrants into Ceuta. Two weeks earlier, more than 72,000 people arrived in the small territory, which has a population of around 80,000. Most later returned voluntarily to Morocco, but between 5,000 and 8,000 migrants remain in Ceuta.

Local resources are overstretched, so many people are living in precarious conditions on El Trampolín beach or on the outskirts of the city. They are waiting for an opportunity to continue their journey to mainland Europe.

We sleep by the sea, in the cold and the stench. We are suffering greatly.

– Ayoub Elarroud

Ayoub Elarroud, from Tetouan, Morocco, also said that police do not allow migrants to enter central Ceuta.

Protesters held Spanish flags and signs reading “We do not want to return to Morocco” and “We are human too.” They chanted, “We are tired” and “We need a solution.” On the rocky shoreline nearby, some people were washing clothes while others were fishing with homemade bamboo rods.

Earlier, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said that migrants who entered the enclave irregularly would not be allowed to remain in Ceuta, move to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status. Exceptions would be possible only in rare cases of extreme vulnerability.

Ceuta’s healthcare system is under pressure

Enrique Roviralta, head of Ceuta’s medical council, said that the city’s limited healthcare workforce is exhausted. He also criticized what he described as the slow response from the central government.

According to Roviralta, cases of infectious diarrhea and scabies have been recorded among migrants. In addition, the number of violence-related injuries is rising, including broken noses and stab wounds.

Health Minister Monica Garcia rejected claims on August 16 that Ceuta’s medical services had “collapsed,” although she acknowledged that they were under considerable strain.

Linking migration to disease is unfair and xenophobic.

– Monica Garcia

She added that migrants themselves face a moderate risk of disease outbreaks, while the risk for Ceuta’s residents remains low.

Most Moroccan migrants interviewed cited low wages and difficult working conditions in Morocco as the reasons for leaving, despite having education and professional qualifications.

Mohammed Ouanzar, a 39-year-old automation specialist from Fez, said that an average monthly salary of 3,000 dirhams, or about $324, does not allow him to buy a home or start a family.

The moment I set foot on Spanish soil, I felt as though I had been born again. I would rather die than go back.

– Mohammed Ouanzar

Hicham Chikir, 25, said that the vast majority of people want to work in Europe. In his view, police can send back those who break the law.

Refugees describe the dangerous journey to Spain

Emmanuel, a 30-year-old electrician, fled conflict-ridden northeastern Nigeria. He embarked on a dangerous four-month journey through Niger, Algeria, and Morocco after his children stopped going to school out of fear of abduction.

I am fighting for a better life for them.

– Emmanuel

Emmanuel said he was willing to accept any job offered to him.

Mohammad Ismail Hossain, 34, left Bangladesh more than two years ago after the mass uprising of 2024. His route took him through India, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Libya, and Algeria. He traveled much of the way on foot and said he saw his companions die of thirst in the desert.

Ousmane, from southern Senegal, sought asylum because of persecution related to his sexual orientation. He contacted local non-governmental organizations but has not yet received a response.

The worst part is waiting all day, doing nothing, and constantly checking your email.

– Ousmane

The situation in Ceuta remains tense: migrants insist that their asylum applications be considered, while city services struggle to cope with the consequences of the large-scale border crossing.