A Spanish judge can’t dismantle the framework for combating illegal immigration and ask Morocco to bear the consequences,” a Moroccan government source said Monday in Rabat.
The source emphasized that “the migration barrier did not collapse under the pressure of smugglers, but as a result of a Spanish court ruling,” adding that “Morocco, for its part, has always upheld its commitments and responsibilities.”
On July 8, a Spanish judge ruled that the arrival of illegal migrants by sea protected them from automatic return procedures, “which lie at the heart of our deterrence mechanism,” the source recalled.
In the eyes of human smugglers and migrants alike, the ruling “simply granted immunity to illegal entry by sea.” That single decision gutted the deterrent element, causing the barrier to buckle “not under the weight of criminal networks, but because of a judge’s decision.”
The ruling “was well known to the Spanish authorities. They could not have been unaware that it weakened the whole framework,” the source said.
“Had anyone warned Morocco to prepare in advance? No.” “Did anyone anticipate the fallout, even though it was entirely foreseeable? No,” the Governmental source wondered, stressing that “It comes as no surprise then that smuggling networks seized the opportunity under these circumstances.”
The source said that the real “game changer” lays in “the gap between the triggering factor (the judge’s ruling) and the delayed response.”
Last week, about 40,000 people crossed to the Spain-controlled enclave of Ceuta and some 1,000 others enterered the other enclave of Melilla, according to the figures disclosed by Morocco’s Interior Ministry. Some media put the numbers higher. Most of these people returned home as the eldorado dream was shattered after they suffered thirst, hunger, violence, and mainly humiliation.
The Interior Ministry’s spokesperson Rachid El Khalfi had said the crossing was not the result of spontaneous circumstances but stemmed from overlapping factors, including the malicious exploitation of digital platforms, the spread of misleading information, human trafficking networks, and the misinterpretation of legal provisions that created a false impression entry into Europe could be achieved without consequence.
The government source also insisted that Morocco has always acted as a “sovereign, loyal and responsible” partner in combating illegal immigration, that migration management is a “shared responsibility” and that the Kingdom has “always shouldered its share.”
“Morocco has never done anything under pressure, nor acted out of obligation or in response to blackmail,” the source underscored, asserting that “commitment and responsibility have always been the driver of our action.”
In the source’s words, migration is a complex issue for which everyone must assume their responsibilities. “We fully assume ours.”
The government source went on to say that this commitment is reflected in “results that are visible to all, even if they are sometimes taken for granted and the achievement they represent is no longer fully appreciated.”
The source recalled a fact that tends to be overlooked: “If, for years, the western Mediterranean has been the least problematic flank for Europe, it’s not because it’s not targeted by human trafficking networks, but because Morocco has efficiently mustered considerable resources, and continues to do so to this day.”
Significant human, technical and financial resources have been deployed for this purpose, the source underlined.
The government source also described cooperation between Morocco and the Spanish government as “exemplary.”
Citing official figures, the source noted that 74,000 attempted cases of illegal migration were thwarted in 2025 and 79,000 in 2024, bringing the total to nearly 160,000 over the two-year period.
In addition, 632 illegal immigration networks were dismantled in 2024 and 2025, while more than 32,000 successful sea rescue operations were carried out during the same period.
Over the past five years, more than 360,000 attempted cases of illegal migration have been thwarted, the source said.