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Franklin & Marshall College

Publication Date

Spring 2024

Program Name

Spain and Ireland: Geopolitics and the Future of the European Union

Abstract

The paper focuses on the relationship between Morocco and Spain, particularly those affecting migration control at the border in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. The research question is: how do the events of May 2021 (the unauthorized opening of the border by Morocco) impact migration control practices in Ceuta and Melilla, and what are the implications for Spanish-Moroccan operational cooperation? The unauthorized opening of the border is conceptualized as a “diplomatic border crisis,” which is also a main contribution of this paper. The study analyzes this incident, which has impacted the border regime and led to changes in border practices. The methodology consists of interviews with experts in the field, bibliographical analysis, complemented by secondary sources provided by organizations and researchers working in the field. This paper contributes to the overall literature on the border regime in these two Spanish enclaves located in the African continent, concluding that the May 2021 “crisis” has led to the reconfiguration of border management in both enclaves, characterized by an increase in strict immigration obstruction on both sides of the border. This new consolidation of cooperation between Morocco and Spain is seen through the deadly events of June 2022. Ultimately, this paper examines how diplomatic border crises are solved through more externalization policies, diminishing the rights of migrant people, which is evidenced through the adoption of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and, in particular, of the Regulation on Crisis and Force majeure situations.

Disciplines

Defense and Security Studies | Immigration Law | International Relations | Migration Studies | Politics and Social Change

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