'Now they're acting shocked at the invasion' US representative accuses Republicans of hypocrisy over Ceuta crisis
Kentucky Republican representative Thomas Massie has accused his party of hypocrisy over the ongoing migrant crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
A Republican representative has accused his party of hypocrisy over the ongoing migrant crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
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About 60,000 mainly young men had crossed into Ceuta by land and sea from Thursday in an unprecedented surge at one of the European Union's only land borders with Africa. At least 67 were killed in the mass rush.
In a post shared to social media on Saturday, Representative Thomas Massie wrote: "Don't fall for the fake Fox/GOP outrage.
"Two weeks ago the House passed a bill that greenlighted the transfer of Spanish territory to Morocco.
"Every Republican except me voted for it, but now THEY are acting shocked at the invasion."
Massie referenced H.R. 8595, the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027 in his fiery post.
The Kentucky Republican was the sole GOP lawmaker to vote against the legislation, which passed the House on July 15 in a 217-209 vote. Most Democrats opposed the measure.
Don’t fall for the fake Fox/GOP outrage. Two weeks ago the House passed a bill that greenlighted the transfer of Spanish territory to Morocco. Every Republican except me voted for it, but now THEY are acting shocked at the invasion.https://t.co/a7ROEAtoODhttps://t.co/886sJycfeL pic.twitter.com/dK5vqMA2Vu
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) August 1, 2026
On Friday night, Donald Trump described the chaotic scenes in Cuerta as an "invasion" and a "catastrophe".
22 EU leaders criticised Spain's migration policies, including the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who temporarily suspended the Schengen free-movement agreement for air and sea travel from Spain.
In response to the crisis, Spain has begun installing a floating barrier close to its border with Morocco.
Civil Guard police started laying the new barrier early in the morning at around 7:50am on the Tarajal breakwater, one of the main points used by people trying to enter the Spanish territory, the government said in a statement.
The pneumatic barrier, alongside a line of anchored naval buoys, is designed to stand 30 to 70 centimetres (12 to 28 inches) above water and extend as much as one metre below the surface,
Residents feared for their safety as migrants reportedly broke into homes with hammers and forced their way inside.
Hundreds even converged on a supermarket, where staff were forced to let a few men through a huge gate at a time.
In Fnideq, a Moroccan town just beyond the Ceuta border, Moroccan authorities aimed water cannons at migrants very late Thursday in an attempt to deter them from crossing.Groups of men were filmed throwing rocks at police cars and active aggressively towards police.
Meanwhile, Military were forced to use tear gas as thousands surged across the border.
Mr Sanchez visited Ceuta on Friday, describing the border breach as “a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity”.
He also criticised the reaction of some other European Union leaders to the events, saying calls for Spain to be suspended from the EU’s borderless Schengen zone were “driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest”.
Spanish interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, said on Saturday that the country is “relentless against those who break the law”.