Migrant crisis chaos sparks cry for 'national emergency' as Italy threatens to intervene

Thousands of migrants have streamed into Europe via a tiny Spanish enclave in recent days, prompting calls for a national emergency. 11:03, Fri, Jul 31, 2026 Updated: 11:04, Fri, Jul 31, 2026 Migrants were pictured swimming from Morocco to the Spanish city of Ceuta in North Africa (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)Italy has said it is willing to intervene with "extraordinary measures" in response to a migrant surge on the border between Spain and Morocco. Thousands have reportedly entered the European Union in recent days, with footage shared online showing young men making the dangerous crossing to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa and engaging in violent clashes.Rachid Sbihi, head of the association representing Spain's Civil Guard, described the situation as one of "absolute chaos" and warned that the border has "totally collapsed". Spanish officials have so far rejected calls to declare a "national emergency", insisting the measure does not apply to migration crises, but have deployed armed forces to reinforce the border. Get the latest politics news - straight from our team in Westminster and more Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've con...