Irregular Migration to the Balearic Islands on the Rise Amid Concerning Role of the Algerian Regime

ALDAR / Meryem Hafiani

The Spanish Balearic Islands are witnessing a worrying increase in irregular migration in 2025, with 4,748 people risking the sea crossing aboard 253 boats, marking a 77% rise compared to the previous year. These figures reflect the growing migratory pressure on the islands, which have now become one of the fastest-growing migration routes in Europe.

According to security sources, part of this increase is linked to indirect facilitation by the Algerian regime, whose activities focus on its coasts to ease migrants’ passage to Europe, particularly via the Mediterranean Sea toward the Balearic Islands. This involvement—whether through the absence of effective control or the overlooking of smuggling networks by some local officials—has contributed to the swelling numbers of irregular migrants and their exploitation by criminal gangs.

Experts confirm that the route to the Balearic Islands has become one of the most active paths for irregular migration in Europe, placing additional pressure on Spanish authorities and calling for urgent European coordination to monitor the coasts and combat criminal networks that exploit migrants’ vulnerability.

This reality clearly shows that the rise in irregular migration is not merely the result of economic or social factors in migrants’ countries of origin, but is also linked to policies and security lapses in departure countries, including Algeria, further complicating border control and the protection of migrants.