by Hélène de Lauzun, Statement (Image: Unsplash)
Asylum seekers arriving in the Spanish enclave are increasingly changing their stated reasons for seeking protection, shifting from economic hardship to persecution based on sexual orientation. Police suspect they may be receiving coordinated advice.
A startling statistic reported by the German and Spanish press points to a shift in the explanations given by asylum seekers arriving in Ceuta. Police suspect that migrants are being advised on how to frame their claims to improve their chances of obtaining refugee status.
According to the German daily Welt, citing information from the Spanish newspaper ABC, nearly 70% of asylum seekers who recently arrived in the Spanish enclave are reportedly claiming persecution on grounds of sexual orientation. This striking figure – which contrasts sharply with the economic and employment-related reasons cited by many of them during the first weeks after their arrival – suggests that such claims have become a new golden ticket to staying in Europe.
A Shift in Their Stories Raises Questions
The migrants in question arrived in Ceuta during the mass influxes of 30 and 31 July 2026. According to reports in the Spanish press, approximately 95% of the cases examined by the police involve Moroccan nationals. Initially, many cited unemployment and the search for better living conditions as reasons for leaving, but claims related to sexual orientation subsequently became predominant.
Spanish authorities are questioning this shift. According to Welt, police officers suspect that migrants are sharing information about claims likely to improve their chances of obtaining international protection. The possibility that nongovernmental organizations are providing such advice has also been raised.
At this stage, the 70% figure is based on reports attributed to police sources, rather than official statistics. The exact number of cases involved, the period under consideration and the method used to calculate the figure are not specified in the available articles.
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