President Donald Trump rode a red wave into office, promising, among other things, to seal America’s borders after nearly four years of ‘open border’ policies under Joe Biden that led to an influx of an estimated 10 million-plus illegal aliens.
Within a few months, Trump made good on his pledge, with the Border Patrol reporting a substantial drop in illegal crossings.
Meanwhile, several European nations that are also led by left-wing politicians like Biden, have had their issues with mass illegal immigration.
That now includes Spain.
Earlier this week, the coastal enclave of Ceuta was inundated with tens of thousands of Moroccans following a Spanish Supreme Court ruled that the legal procedure known as “summary return” could not be applied to migrants intercepted while attempting to reach Ceuta or the Spanish city of Melilla by sea.
The ruling said that the use of the ordinary immigration procedure should be used instead.
Spain’s Interior Ministry stated that migrant smuggling networks had exploited the ruling to encourage sea crossings.
The incident has led to criticism from the Trump administration, which has also reignited the larger debate over Europe’s pathetically weak border enforcement efforts.
“President Trump has long warned Europe what would happen if they continue to implement far-left, globalist policies, including enabling mass migration,” White House principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told Fox News in a statement.
“Spain and other countries who have adopted this destructive philosophy should immediately reverse course or risk their own demise,” Kelly added.
The criticism came as Ceuta was already struggling with a surge in illegal immigration before Thursday’s dramatic border breach.
President Trump reacted on Friday morning to the massive migrant surge overwhelming Ceuta, Spain, warning it could happen in America.
“It’s terrible. Remember that picture. That’s going to be us in three years if the wrong side gets in,” Trump told Fox News host Jacqui Heinrich, referring to Democrats winning elections.
Spain is deploying its military after tens of thousands of migrants overwhelmed the North African enclave of Ceuta, with officials confirming at least 18 people died during the crossings.
Trump added, “If the Democrats get in, you will not live a very good life.”
Local officials said more than 2,000 migrants had entered the small Spanish territory in North Africa during the previous 10 days.
The situation escalated sharply on Thursday, when Spain’s state broadcaster TVE estimated that an additional 3,000 to 5,000 migrants crossed into the enclave after overwhelming border authorities.
Video from the scene appeared to show thousands of mostly military-aged men entering Ceuta.
Some were seen smiling and posing for cameras while carrying swim fins and flotation devices after swimming around the Tarajal breakwater from Morocco.
Others forced their way through a gate in the border fence before running into the city as overwhelmed police struggled to regain control of the situation.
Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas formally asked left-wing socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to declare a national emergency, warning that the city could no longer manage the unprecedented surge of migrants.
He also called on Sánchez to deploy the military to assist with managing the influx.
Spain’s Interior Ministry rejected the request, stating that the country’s civil protection laws do not allow national emergency powers to be invoked in response to a migration crisis.
“The declaration of a national emergency is part of the state civil protection regulations, which do not consider migratory flows as a risk to the National Civil Protection System, nor do they establish special plans, basic guidelines, or specific civil protection instruments for their management,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Therefore, it is not possible to activate this mechanism, as requested by the president of the Government of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas,” the ministry added.
As the crisis intensified, Spain deployed military units to reinforce the Guardia Civil after border agents were overwhelmed by the surge of migrants.
Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska were also expected to travel to Ceuta as the Spanish government coordinated with Moroccan authorities on efforts to repatriate migrants.
