What to know about Ceuta, Spain's immigration policy as latest videos show massive migrant influx from Morocco

Thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta over the past two days, prompting Madrid to deploy the military to reinforce border security.

Ceuta is an autonomous Spanish city on Africa's northern coast, and along with Melilla, it forms the European Union's only land border with Africa.

Morocco continues to regard Ceuta and Melilla as occupied territories, causing recurring diplomatic tension between Madrid and Rabat.

Ceuta has a diverse population of around 85,000, including Christians, Muslims, Spanish, and Moroccan communities that regularly cross the border for work and trade.

Ceuta operates under a different migration framework from mainland Spain, with irregular entrants typically returned to Morocco under bilateral agreements, while others await status assessment in reception centers.