Las devoluciones en caliente: la questione migratoria europea nei rapporti ispano-marocchini: la questione migratoria europea nei rappor- ti ispano-marocchini

Abstract

The ever-increasing influx of migrants from the North African coast is putting a strain on the ‘nerves’ of the European governments most exposed to these dynamics. Of particular interest is the case of the notorious Ceuta and Melilla, Spanish territories located in the Kingdom of Morocco and destination of thousands of desperate migrants. For years, the Spanish authorities have been collaborating with the Moroccan ones to contain the phenomenon, but the objective difficulties arising from such scenarios have sometimes resulted in questionable practices. In the background of the relations between the two countries are the devoluciones en caliente, i.e., the ‘hot’ rejections exercised by the Guarda Civil against migrants trying to enter the Spanish territories illegally. These summary rejections, considered contrary to international law, are widely criticised by NGOs and others. This contribution aims to reconstruct the salient features and limits of these devoluciones.