CEUTA, Spain — Dikra, a 20-year-old migrant from Morocco, had spent five days in Ceuta by Sunday, August 2nd, 2026, after swimming to the Spanish territory with her younger sister and cousin. Since arriving, she has relied on local residents for food and is uncertain when her next meal will come. "I want to go to Spain," Dikra said, requesting that her last name be withheld for safety reasons.

By Sunday afternoon, Dikra was among the last remaining migrants in Ceuta after tens of thousands of the approximately 60,000 migrants who breached the border with Morocco on Thursday and Friday walked back to Morocco. The crossing resulted in at least 72 deaths, sparking a humanitarian crisis and reigniting debates on immigration in Europe and beyond.

Dikra shared that she worked as a cleaner in Tangier but decided to leave with her sister and cousin partly to escape her alcoholic father. Abdel Karim, 35, also from Morocco, waited outside Ceuta’s official migration reception center on Sunday, seeking updates about the fate of migrants still in the city. "In Morocco, I’m seen as a deportee," Karim said. "Those who are deported know what it means - stress, depression, anguish." He crossed with only 10 euros in his pocket and showed his blistered feet.

Another migrant, Aliou, said he earned $322 a month working at a call center in Morocco, but the job was unstable.

The situation in Ceuta highlights the ongoing challenges faced by migrants seeking entry into Europe and the complex humanitarian and political issues surrounding immigration.

Sources