Weeks after more than 72,000 migrants surged into Ceuta, Spain’s North African territory, thousands remain stuck in limbo.

City officials say 9,000–10,000 people — including around 2,000 minors — could still be there, though Spain’s interior ministry puts the number closer to 5,000. Most who crossed have already returned to Morocco, but many are still sleeping in the woods, on beaches, and outside reception centers.

Spanish police have begun moving people from beach encampments into makeshift shelters, and the government says it has secured space for 1,800 migrants plus €6.5M in emergency funds. But locals and aid groups say it’s not enough — and Ceuta’s mayor says the national government isn’t doing enough to fix the situation.

The UN refugee agency estimates roughly 1,200 migrants could qualify for international protection and is pushing Spain to speed up asylum processing.

Caught in the middle are people like Khadija Rifai, who swam to Ceuta hoping for a better life, and Mohamed Yaqoub, who hid in the woods for days — both still waiting for answers, and for papers that could let them move forward.

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