The Ceuta crossings have shaken Europe politically, exposing divisions over the sensitive issue of migration, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford writes.

Tens of thousands of migrants surged into Spain's Ceuta from Morocco, prompting a military deployment and a new State Department travel advisory.

At least 18 migrants died trying to reach the Spanish territory of Ceuta after tens of thousands of people breached the frontier with Morocco and poured into the tiny Spanish territory.

Hundreds of migrants from Morocco have swum into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta over the last week.

The scale of the mass movement was compounded by three things: a ruling this month from Spain’s Supreme Court giving deportation protections to people who swim into the territory, widespread videos on social media of those making the journey and the apparent acquiescence of Moroccan border guards.

Most of the migrants returned to Morocco after as many as 60,000 overwhelmed the tiny Spanish territory of Ceuta.

Spanish authorities said that despite the record crossing of migrants, almost everyone who entered illegally has returned to Morocco.

President Donald Trump said during a Cabinet meeting that similar scenes of migrants flooding into Spain could play out in the U.S. if Democrats gain power.

The pro-immigration leader is facing backlash at home and abroad after roughly 60,000 people crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave.