Migrants evicted from Ceuta neighborhood, some opt to return to Morocco

Several migrants evicted from a neighborhood in occupied Ceuta on Sunday chose to return voluntarily to Morocco rather than be transferred to the city’s Temporary Immigrant Detention Center (CATE), Spanish outlet El Faro de Ceutareported.

The Moroccan migrants had reportedly spent nearly three months in the Poblado de Regulares neighborhood before police located them early Sunday morning.

Authorities subsequently transported the migrants by bus to the Tarajal border crossing. Several reportedly opted to return to Morocco without undergoing registration procedures, according to the outlet.

El Faro de Ceuta reported that three buses transported more than 150 people. Some migrants reportedly gestured to indicate that they did not want to return to Morocco.

According to the Spanish outlet, more than 12,000 migrants have returned from Ceuta to Morocco. It also reported more than 400 cases in which migrants initiated asylum procedures but later withdrew their applications, reportedly believing their claims would be rejected.

Last week, Spanish government spokesperson Elma Saiz said that thousands of people had returned to Morocco from Ceuta, including 10,161 voluntary returns and 525 expulsions.

Saiz also provided figures on minors registered under Ceuta’s regional protection system. A total of 3,019 minors had been registered, of whom 89 had been relocated to mainland Spain for family reunification, 173 transferred to other Spanish regions, and 35 cases referred to Morocco.

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