Legislation under consideration would allow expanded detention, cross-border enforcement of removal orders, and offshore processing centers for rejected migrants.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The European Parliament is expected to vote later this month on a sweeping migration measure designed to streamline the deportation of illegal migrants across the European Union, according to details outlined in a formal legislative proposal.
The measure would apply to migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected, individuals who overstayed visas, and those who entered EU member states without authorization. Supporters say the legislation would strengthen the bloc’s ability to enforce deportation orders and return individuals who no longer have legal status to remain.
One of the most significant provisions would allow EU member states to establish detention facilities outside the European Union where rejected migrants could be transferred while awaiting deportation to their countries of origin.
Under the proposed framework, migrants could be sent to these facilities through bilateral agreements with third countries. The bill would also permit authorities to search homes for migrants subject to deportation orders and extend detention periods while removal proceedings are underway.
According to guidance published by the European Parliament, detention may be ordered when authorities believe an individual poses a risk of evading removal or presents a security concern. The EU said detention could be imposed “for the purpose of preparing their effective and timely return,” and may be used when individuals fail to cooperate with authorities or otherwise impede the deportation process.
The Parliament stated in its announcement that detention could last for as long as two years under the proposed rules. The policy would also permit detention of families and unaccompanied minors as a last resort when necessary to complete the removal process, according to a statement released by the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee and detailed in an official EU press release.
The proposal also introduces a bloc-wide enforcement mechanism requiring EU countries to recognize and carry out deportation decisions issued by other member states. Under the plan, migrants who receive a deportation order in one country would no longer be able to relocate to another EU nation to avoid removal.
European officials said that by July 1, 2027, any member state would be required to enforce deportation orders issued elsewhere in the union. The country where the individual is currently located would be responsible for ensuring the deportation is carried out.
Migrants who fail to comply with deportation orders could also face bans on returning to the European Union through legal immigration channels.
“If a third-country national has not complied with a return decision within the set time for voluntary return, or is subject to removal, or poses a security risk, they must be issued with an EU entry ban,” the EU said in the same parliamentary statement. Officials said the length of such bans would depend on individual circumstances and could be permanent in cases involving security concerns.
The measure also includes provisions encouraging migrants to voluntarily return to their home countries. Supporters of the policy say the voluntary return mechanism resembles initiatives introduced in the United States, including the Trump administration’s immigration program known as Project Homecoming, which encourages migrants without legal status to depart the country voluntarily.
European lawmakers adopted the current version of the legislation earlier this week when the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee approved the proposal and advanced it to the full chamber for consideration.
According to reporting from RT, the measure has strong support among center-right and right-leaning political groups as well as governments that have pushed for stricter migration enforcement across the bloc.
Critics of the legislation, including human-rights organizations and some legal scholars, have warned that the policy could shift responsibility for migrant detention to countries with weaker legal systems and may lead to controversial enforcement practices.
The proposed legislation comes amid continued debate in Europe over immigration policy and border enforcement. A report from the United Nations outlining demographic projections, often cited in migration debates, has discussed long-term population trends under the concept of replacement migration.
Data compiled by the European Union’s statistics agency indicates that as of January 1, 2025, roughly 46.7 million foreign nationals were living within EU member states, representing about 10.4 percent of the bloc’s population, according to figures published by Eurostat.
Before the legislation can take effect, the European Parliament must approve entering negotiations with the European Council, which represents EU member state governments. Lawmakers will then negotiate the final language of the bill before it can be formally adopted across the bloc.
Original article
Comments