Many Migrants Choose Not to Go Through Temporary Foreigners' Care Center

In Ceuta, a significant number of migrants who had settled on the Trampolín beach have decided to voluntarily return to Morocco rather than go through the Temporary Foreigners' Care Center (CATE). This decision comes in the wake of their eviction from the settlement, which has been enforced to facilitate their identification near the border. Law enforcement sources confirmed to EFE that many individuals who had been living illegally in Ceuta for over two months opted for repatriation back to their home country instead of seeking international protection, which is the sole requirement for being transferred to government-established reception facilities.

Police Operation and Migrant Eviction Procedures

This situation mirrors a recent incident where over 150 migrants from Benítez beach chose to return to Morocco instead of being registered, feeling they lacked valid grounds for applying for international protection. The National Police have been actively involved, transporting these individuals via bus to the vicinity of the Tarajal border, where the CATE facilities are located, for identification purposes. More than 350 National Police officers were deployed early Sunday morning to initiate the first phase of evacuating makeshift migrant settlements on Trampolín beach, as reported by the Ceuta Superior Headquarters to Europa Press.

Officers began their operation around 8:00 AM, moving through the sand and gently tapping on the huts to wake sleeping migrants. They organized the evacuees into small groups and escorted them to the waiting buses, which then transported them to the desalination plant area, where they were grouped and seated for processing. Ultimately, the aim is to take these individuals to the CATE, where they will be registered and potentially moved to reception facilities. However, they also have the option to be escorted to the border to return to Morocco voluntarily on foot. Following the recent eviction from Benítez beach, the vast majority of the nearly 400 individuals who spent the night there chose to return home.

As reported by telecinco.es.