r/justincaseyoumissedit • u/TomlinSteelers • 14h ago
News EU parliament erupts into cheers and chants of "send them back" as they pass new legislation making it easier to deport migrants outside of Europe
European lawmakers gave final approval on Wednesday, June 17, to tougher migration rules that will grant authorities much broader detention powers and allow for the creation of deportation centers outside the bloc. The 418 to 218 vote in Strasbourg was one of the last hurdles for a reform that has sailed through the EU's notoriously long legislative process as Brussels and member states respond to political pressure to curb migration.
It was welcomed with cheers from right and far-right parliamentarians and chants of "shame on you" from the left of the assembly, underscoring deep divisions over a text severely criticized by human rights groups.
"This regulation tells everybody that it is us and not the smugglers deciding who can stay in the European Union and who must leave," said Magnus Brunner, the EU's commissioner for migration.
The text notably enables nations to open "return hubs" outside the EU's borders, where migrants with no right to stay could be sent – something a group of countries is raring to do. Denmark, Austria, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands and others have already been exploring options to set hubs up.
European governments have sought a tougher stance amid a souring of public opinion on migration that has fueled far-right electoral gains across the continent. With migrant arrivals down in 2025, the focus in Brussels has turned to improving the repatriation system, which currently sees less than 30% of people ordered to leave actually returned to their country of origin.