Ceuta’s Los Rosales migrant camp fills up, sparking rush to new shelters

The recently opened Los Rosales camp in Ceuta is now at maximum occupancy, sheltering 864 migrants who were relocated there on Sunday. Police on the scene describe a “call-effect” in which the news of a new facility prompts homeless migrants from other parts of the city and the coastline to converge on the site, hoping to trade street sleeping for tented bunks, mattresses and portable toilets. The camp’s tents are full, and crowds of adults and minors continue to gather around the former prison where the camp stands, forcing the UIP of the Policía Nacional to maintain a guarded perimeter to stop unauthorized entry.

Authorities are also documenting every person inside the tents, while nearby residents complain that the influx of newcomers creates new informal settlements around the camp. Similar pressure is already building for the upcoming Puerto camp, which is expected to open next. Migrants say they prefer staying in Spain to seek asylum and work rather than returning to Morocco, while police stress the need for better conditions for both the migrants and the officers guarding the site.