Stop illegal immigration? Start where it begins.
After thousands of migrants attempted to cross from Morocco into Spain’s enclave of Ceuta, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy is prepared to take extraordinary measures to defend its borders. One option under discussion is temporarily restoring Schengen border checks on people and vehicles arriving from Spain to prevent migrants from moving deeper into the European Union.
But beyond the question of how to stop illegal immigration lies a bigger one: Why are so many people willing to risk their lives to reach Europe?
Most of those trying to enter Ceuta are not Moroccans. They come from Sub-Saharan African countries such as Mali, Sudan, Guinea, Senegal, and Chad. Many leave because of poverty, unemployment, conflict, political instability, or simply because they no longer see a future at home.
That is also why leaders with tougher immigration policies, such as Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump, continue to gain support from part of the electorate. They argue that every nation has the right to decide who enters its territory and must maintain control of its borders. However, stronger borders address only the symptoms. Unless countries of origin can provide security, jobs, and hope for their own people, migration pressures are unlikely to disappear.
The crisis in Ceuta is therefore not only about border security. It also raises a larger question: What is happening in countries where so many people no longer want to stay?
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