The European Parliament approved a reform allowing member states to deport migrants with rejected asylum applications to offshore detention facilities outside EU borders. The vote passed with 389 in favor and 206 opposed, enacting tougher immigration measures including harsher penalties for those refusing to leave.
The new law enables the establishment of deportation centers outside the EU, permitting talks with third-country entities and imposing entry bans on returned migrants. This comes as the EU faces pressure to curb migration, with arrivals having declined in recent years and focus shifting to repatriation.
Human rights groups have expressed concerns that asylum seekers could disappear into “legal black holes” beyond EU borders. Concerns have also been raised regarding the influence of far-right ideologies on the legislation.