Morocco Resumes Deportations of Nationals from Spain
In a significant development, Morocco has reinstated its acceptance of nationals who are being expelled from Spain, leading the Spanish National Police to revive a previously dormant procedure for deportation. This method involves transporting irregular Moroccan citizens apprehended in mainland Spain to Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city located on the northern coast of Africa. Once in Ceuta, these individuals are returned to their homeland through the Tarajal border crossing.
According to police sources, this deportation process, which had been in use for many years, became nearly inactive following the COVID-19 pandemic. It gained renewed momentum after Morocco adjusted its stance in the wake of a mass influx of migrants into Ceuta at the end of July. The current operation focuses on transporting individuals currently in Andalusia who are already undergoing expulsion proceedings. Importantly, this is not a newly implemented operation as a response to the recent migration crisis; rather, it is a historically established procedure that had been sidelined due to Morocco's refusal to accept its citizens under these circumstances.
The process starts when Moroccan citizens are intercepted in irregular status, primarily around the Campo de Gibraltar area. They are then taken to designated facilities for identification and administrative processing. Once their identity is verified and it is confirmed they do not have the right to remain in Spain, the expulsion process is initiated. If a resolution is in place allowing for their deportation and Morocco agrees to accept them, the Spanish police organizes their transport to Ceuta.
Police buses depart from the Algeciras area and make their way to the autonomous city, where deportees are escorted to the Tarajal border crossing for expulsion back to Morocco. This procedure is characterized as a legal expulsion, distinctly separate from voluntary returns of individuals who have remained in Ceuta following the mass entry of migrants during the summer. Police sources have indicated that this method of expulsion was routinely utilized in Ceuta until it was largely halted during the pandemic. With the border closure lasting for months and Morocco effectively rejecting the repatriation of its nationals, the situation has drastically changed since the summer crisis, allowing Spanish authorities to resume expelling Moroccan citizens with proper documentation.
The recent sightings of National Police buses at the Ceuta border have drawn attention, with reports indicating that between 200 and 300 individuals have been processed in this manner in recent weeks. This shift highlights Morocco's renewed willingness to accept its nationals, enabling the Spanish police to proceed with previously stalled expulsion orders.
As reported by eldebate.com.
