ARCHIVED - Ceuta has repatriated nine out of ten illegal immigrants who crossed from Morocco
The Spanish government has applied for 10.2 million euros in aid from the CE to cover costs and attend to those who remain in the autonomous city.
About 9,000 of the illegal immigrants who managed to get into Ceuta during last month’s mass breach of the frontier incident have now been sent back to Morocco, the Spanish authorities have confirmed.
Most of the more than 10,000 Moroccan citizens who crossed the border into Ceuta illegally on 17-18 May have now been returned to the neighbouring country, and the majority of those remaining have applied for asylum at police stations. According to official government figures, 2,388 of the immigrants went back to Morocco voluntarily.
The autonomous city of Ceuta should, the Minister for Migration reported on Thursday, receive around 10 million euros in European aid within the next few months to help cover the costs of the massive influx of immigrants, which included around 1,500 unaccompanied minors.
The government has asked the CE for a total of 10.2 million euros: 1,350,000 euros to cover what Ceuta has already spent on attending to the minors; 200,000 euros to cover the Army’s presence during the incident; 800,000 euros to improve emergency logistics and the rest to provide attention to the minors and the adults who remain in the city in coming months.
Image: Visit of president Sánchez to Ceuta during the incident. La Moncloa.