Spain's national police found that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's immigrant regularization process was a secondary factor in the mass border crossing into Ceuta.
An official report prepared for National Court Judge María Tardón estimated that approximately 80,000 foreigners entered the Spanish autonomous city irregularly from Morocco over July 30 and July 31.
The analysis by the police border intelligence unit examined how government policies were portrayed across social networks leading up to the sudden arrival of migrants.
Social Media Campaigns and Online Messages
Officers from the National Police Centre for Immigration and Borders stated that the government regularization measure required evaluation after identifying widespread social media activity surrounding the policy.
The police analysis noted that online posts created a direct, simplified, and far-reaching message that circulated widely among prospective migrants.
According to the report, organizers promoting the mass crossing exploited a distorted perception that had taken hold in online migration forums.
Viral messages across digital platforms summarized this idea by asserting that individuals arriving in Spain would ultimately be granted legal residence papers.
Investigators highlighted a specific image distributed online that featured Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez alongside a Spanish national flag.
The image carried claims that Spain was close to ending its immigrant regularization window, while falsely asserting that July 30, 2026, was the final deadline to apply.
Police Evaluation of Legal Regularization
Despite the impact of the online campaign, police emphasized that the government regularization process was not a direct cause of the mass border entry.
Officers clarified that the extraordinary regularization program initiated by the central Executive had already closed before the border events occurred.
Because the application window had already concluded, individuals who entered Ceuta through the Tarajal land and maritime border could not qualify for the legal measure.
Border Intelligence and Legal Framework
The assessment was drafted by the National Centre for Immigration and Borders, known as Cenif, which serves as the specialized border intelligence unit of Spain's National Police.
Judge María Tardón requested the police report as part of an ongoing investigation by the Audiencia Nacional into the border entry that took place more than a month ago.
Ceuta is a Spanish autonomous city situated on the North African coast, sharing a land border with Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar from mainland Europe.
The Tarajal border crossing includes both land security checkpoints and coastal perimeter fencing that separates Spanish territory from Moroccan borders.
Spain's Audiencia Nacional is a specialized high court in Madrid with nationwide jurisdiction over major constitutional, national security, and territorial cases.
