The European Union has called an emergency meeting for Tuesday to discuss the arrival of tens of thousands of Moroccan migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week, according to a report by CBC News. The meeting comes after 22 member states issued a joint letter.
The 22 member states' letter called for action and stressed the need to strengthen the EU's borders, according to the report. The gathering follows one of the most severe migration surges the enclave has faced.
At least 67 people died attempting to cross into Ceuta last week, according to CBC News. The scale of the crossing has drawn attention across the bloc.
The crisis has seriously strained relations between EU member states, according to the report. It has deepened mistrust and exposed sharp divisions within the bloc over migration policy.
Although most EU countries have expressed support and solidarity with Spain, others have openly attacked it for what happened last week, according to CBC News. At a meeting of EU officials that experts described as sobering, Spain came under fire from Italy, Denmark, Poland and Sweden.
Italy went further, announcing that it would suspend its Schengen arrangements with Spain for a month as a result, according to the report. The move underscored how far the fallout has spread within the bloc.
Critics have accused Spain of losing control of its border, according to CBC News. They have taken aim at the country's migration policy in the wake of the mass crossing into Ceuta.