Brussels (AFP) – European Union lawmakers cleared the way on Thursday for tougher penalties for undocumented migrants and their potential deportation to so-called "return hubs" outside the bloc.
The measures, which have been criticised by human rights groups, are part of a tightening of Europe's immigration rules in response to pressure across the 27-nation bloc to curb migration.
The European Parliament approved the package with support from centre-right and far-right groups in a 389 to 206 vote in Brussels – bringing it a step closer to final approval.
"The decisive changes introduced by this regulation will make it possible to simply guarantee this straightforward principle: if you come to Europe illegally, rest assured that you will not stay here," said centre-right French parliamentarian Francois-Xavier Bellamy.
The reform would notably allow for the opening of centres or "return hubs" outside the EU's borders to which migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected would be sent.
It also envisages harsher penalties for migrants who refuse to leave, including through detention and entry bans.
The move has proven divisive. Some in the bloc, including France and Spain, have questioned the effectiveness of return centres, which the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an NGO, has described as "legal black holes".
"They will be located outside of EU territory, where policymakers cannot guarantee that people's rights will be upheld," said the IRC's Marta Welander.
A small group of countries, including Denmark, Austria, Greece, Germany and the Netherlands, is nevertheless ploughing ahead and exploring options to set them up, according to a diplomatic source.
UK seeks 'value for money' to renew France migrant deal
'ICE-style'
Proponents say the hubs could act as a deterrent and discourage migrants from attempting to reach Europe in the first place.
Critics, however, point to the hurdles faced by similar projects. The United Kingdom abandoned a scheme to deport undocumented migrants to Rwanda, while Italian-run facilities to process migrants in Albania have faced legal challenges and a slow uptake.
EU member states gave their green light to the package – first proposed by the European Commission last year – in December.
Negotiations with parliament after the vote are likely to zero in on a small number of issues, including the extent of search powers that could be granted to authorities seeking out undocumented migrants, observers say.
A group of 70 rights groups warned in February that the reform would allow for "ICE-style immigration enforcement" – a reference to the heavy-handed practices used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the United States under President Donald Trump.
European governments have sought a tougher stance amid a souring of public opinion on migration that has fuelled far-right electoral gains across the continent.
With migrant arrivals down in 2025, focus in Brussels has turned to improving the repatriation system, which currently sees around 20 percent of people ordered to leave actually returned to their country of origin.
