Madrid cannot deport Moroccan migrants who have applied for political asylum in Spain. The number of applications submitted in the country grew from 531 in 2017 to 765 in the first eight months of 2018.
A number of Riffians have applied for political asylum, using the «Hirak» as a justification to their applications. According to a lawyer from the Spanish Committee for Refugee Aid, such a justification is not enough, as applicants are required to provide evidence.