Spain’s government is preparing an emergency decree to accelerate the return to Morocco of migrants who entered Ceuta during the mass crossings of July 30 and 31, but the proposal is already facing resistance inside Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s coalition.
The draft could reach the Cabinet on Tuesday, although government officials say that timetable is not guaranteed. It would shorten administrative and judicial procedures that currently delay expulsions from Ceuta.
The most controversial provision would allow Spain, in some cases, to return asylum seekers before all appeals have been exhausted, while continuing to process their claims after they have left Spanish territory.
The measure would apply during the national-security situation declared in Ceuta and could cover nationals of countries the EU considers safe, including Morocco, repeat applicants and people deemed threats to public order or national security.
The draft would also cut the deadline for appealing some asylum refusals to five days and give those cases priority treatment.
Sumar, the left-wing junior partner in Sánchez’s government, has warned that asylum rights and existing legal safeguards must be respected, complicating the decree’s path through parliament.
The measure comes nearly two months after thousands of people crossed into Ceuta. The European Commission has allocated €114.7 million in emergency funding to Spain for border management, reception and returns, while Frontex, Europol and the EU Asylum Agency have agreed to provide operational support.
Morocco has said it is prepared to cooperate with the return of people who do not qualify for international protection, while Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has argued that delays lie on the Spanish side rather than with Rabat.
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