Antonio Tajani calls for closing the Schengen area with Spain as thousands of illegal immigrants enter the Ceuta enclave
Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani has called for the closure of the Schengen area with Spain following a surge of hundreds to thousands of illegal immigrants entering the North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. The administration announced that Spain will deploy its military to restore order and reinforce security at the border after many migrants breached the fence and swam across the Strait of Gibraltar. Antonio Tajani argued that the Madrid government's decision to grant legal status to over 500,000 irregular migrants is misguided and encourages human trafficking. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni echoed these sentiments, stating that Rome is prepared to take extraordinary measures to defend its borders. While the Spanish government has refused to declare a national emergency, it has pledged to coordinate with Moroccan authorities to accelerate the return of illegal immigrants. The situation in Ceuta has overwhelmed local resources, with regional president Juan Jesús Vivas warning of a humanitarian and security emergency as reception centers operate at several times their intended capacity.