Illegal immigration to Spain doubled

brussels - Approximately 22,900 illegal migrants reached Spain in 2017, more than doubling compared to 2016. Last year, 204,300 illegal immigrants arrived in the entire European Union. That was 60 percent less than the year before.

This is shown by preliminary figures from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex. Around 40 percent of migrants who arrived illegally in Spain were Moroccan or Algerian. Due to the unrest in the Rif area in the north of Morocco, there was less supervision in the past six months of boats with illegal immigrants making the crossing to Spain.

An estimated 119,000 illegal migrants arrived in Italy. That was more than 60,000 fewer than in 2016. Minister Marco Minniti (Home Affairs) made a connection between the arrival of fewer migrants and the agreement that his government had made with the Libyans. The internationally recognized government in Tripoli received support in exchange for help in dealing with human smuggling.