European Parliament backs controversial migrant ‘Return Hubs’

Lawmakers have approved plans to ease the creation of offshore detention centres and impose tougher penalties on irregular migrants, in a vote that exposed deep divisions over EU migration policy.

The European Parliament voted 389 to 206 on Thursday to adopt its position on the EU Return Regulation, paving the way for negotiations with member states.

The reform, backed by a coalition of centre-right and far-right groups, would allow EU countries to set up “return hubs” outside the bloc—detention centres in third countries where migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected would be sent.

“If you come to Europe illegally, rest assured that you will not stay here,” said French centre-right MEP François‑Xavier Bellamy.

The package also introduces harsher penalties for those who refuse to leave, including longer detention periods and entry bans.

A group of countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Greece and Denmark are already exploring agreements with African nations to host such facilities.

Human rights condemnation

Critics warn the measures fall short of international legal standards.

“These appalling laws will push innocent people into hiding for fear of prison and deportation,” said Italian centre‑left MEP Cecilia Strada.

Amnesty International condemned the vote as a “growing trend towards increasingly harmful, exclusionary and draconian policies”, warning that return hubs “carry grave risks of rights violations”.

The International Rescue Committee described them as “legal black holes”.

Negotiations with EU member states on the final text are expected to advance quickly.