Even After Major Exodus, Thousands Of Migrant Invaders Still Overwhelm Spanish City

Thousands of migrants remain in Ceuta, Spain, on Monday, with hundreds camping on a beach after last week's border rush from Morocco overwhelmed the city. Spanish officials say about 69,500 people have gone back to Morocco in the last four days. That is higher than the first estimates of roughly 50,000 who crossed into Ceuta on Thursday, according to NBC News. The death toll stands at 83 as of Monday.

Ceuta leader Juan Jesus Vivas told Telecinco that 3,000 to 5,000 migrants remain in the territory. He said both reception centers, one for adults and one for minors, had "collapsed."

Vivas, however, blamed Morocco. He told El Pais there was a widespread perception in Ceuta that Morocco had allowed, if not orchestrated, the crisis. "Morocco has shown us that it isn't reliable. There's no alternative but to put in place whatever means are necessary to ensure it cannot do this again," Vivas said.

Morocco's Interior Ministry on Sunday blamed the surge on misinformation circulating on social media, human trafficking networks, and a misinterpretation of a Spanish court ruling that bans the immediate deportation of migrants intercepted at sea.

President Donald Trump said Friday the Ceuta events would be a midterm talking point, describing them as looking "like an invasion of a country by hundreds of thousands of people" and warning the United States would face worse if Republicans don't win upcoming elections. Vice President JD Vance called the images "an unfortunate reminder of the consequences of mass migration."