Ceuta (Spain), Oct 5 (EFE).- More than 1,200 migrants from the Trampolín beach encampment in Ceuta, some of whom had arrived during the mass influx into the Spanish enclave in late July, have chosen to return voluntarily to Morocco after authorities cleared the site over Sunday and Monday.
Police sources confirmed to EFE that many of those living at the encampment opted not to go through the Temporary Assistance Center for Foreigners (CATE), where individuals are processed to determine asylum eligibility. Instead, they decided to return to their home country after spending more than two months irregularly in Ceuta.
Voluntary returns peaked on Sunday, with numbers higher than those recorded on Monday.
The situation mirrors events from a few days ago, when over 150 migrants staying at Benítez beach also chose to return to Morocco rather than undergo processing, recognizing they lacked grounds to seek international protection, the sole requirement for transfer to government-run reception facilities.
On Sunday, National Police launched an operation to dismantle the Trampolín beach settlement, which sheltered more than 3,000 of the estimated 80,000 migrants who crossed into the city in late July.
That same day, at least 300 migrants brought to the CATE center had already declined identification, requesting voluntary return to their country of origin. EFE
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