EU politicians have finalised a new regulation aimed at increasing deportations of undocumented migrants, drawing criticism that it mirrors elements of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The law, part of an overhauled EU asylum and migration system, allows national authorities to raid homes to enforce deportation orders and extends detention periods for uncooperative individuals or those deemed a flight risk to up to 30 months, compared with the current 18-month limit.
The regulation also permits the creation of offshore return hubs outside the EU, where undocumented people could be held indefinitely pending return to their home countries. Several EU member states are in talks with African nations to establish such centres, though no agreements have been announced. Additionally, people deemed a security risk could face a lifetime ban from entering the EU, up from the current 10-year maximum.
EU officials, including Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, hailed the law as a key step in improving migration management, noting that only about 20% of those without the right to stay are currently returned. Critics, however, accuse the EU of adopting practices similar to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Green MEP Mélissa Camara said the text “weakens procedural rights, extends lengths of detention and endorses ICE practices by allowing authorities to conduct home raids.”
The agreement was reached after the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) voted with far-right groups in March to push through tougher measures. EPP lawmaker Regina Doherty defended the deal, stating it targets only those who have exhausted legal processes and have no right to remain. Silvia Carta of the Platform for Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants warned the law would “expose hundreds of thousands of people to harm and violence,” adding that Europe should learn from the harms of the ICE model rather than replicate it.
The regulation, which caps a reform process launched in 2020, still requires formal approval from the EU Council and Parliament.
