“Return or Detain: EU Plans Offshore Hubs for Migrants”

The EU is on the verge of approving a plan to establish “return hubs” outside its borders to house migrants whose asylum claims are rejected. The move would allow for faster deportations, extended detention, and stricter enforcement of return orders. While proponents say it’s a necessary overhaul to improve return rates and public confidence, critics—including the EU’s human‑rights watchdog—warn the plan risks violating fundamental rights, especially if migrants are detained for long periods or sent to third countries with little oversight. The coming vote in Brussels is crucial: it will determine whether the EU embraces a hardline, externalized approach to migration—or charts a different course.

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Dec 8, 2025 - 14:00

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“Return or Detain: EU Plans Offshore Hubs for Migrants”

The EU is poised to adopt a controversial new migration measure, endorsing so‑called “return hubs” outside its borders for migrants whose asylum requests are rejected or who are ordered to leave. Interior ministers of member states are expected to formally back the plan during a vote this week, marking a major shift in how Europe handles irregular migration.

Under the proposed framework:

Migrants denied asylum could be transferred to centres located in non‑EU countries—“return hubs”—where they would await deportation or eventual repatriation
The plan also includes tougher penalties for migrants who refuse to leave, longer detention periods, and stricter enforcement of return orders.
The adoption comes even as illegal arrivals into the EU reportedly dropped by around 20% in 2025 compared with the previous year—underlining that the push is driven as much by political pressure and security concerns as by sheer volume of migration.

Supporters argue that the new measures are necessary to restore order and public trust, pointing to persistently low deportation and return rates despite existing EU legislation.

But the plan is already drawing sharp criticism from human rights organizations and civil society groups. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has warned that if “return hubs” are established, they must under no circumstances become “rights‑free zones.” The FRA’s position paper highlights that even if located outside the EU, such centres remain subject to EU fundamental‑rights obligations — including protection from arbitrary detention, prohibition on sending vulnerable persons (children, disabled, elderly) to such hubs, requirement for independent human‑rights monitoring, and mandatory individualized assessments before forced relocation or detention.

Some EU countries — notably those that have previously tried external‑processing models—are skeptical about the plan’s legality and effectiveness. Others raise concerns over diplomatic, logistical and financial challenges, as well as the risk that such hubs could exacerbate migrants’ suffering rather than solve migration issues.

As the vote in Brussels approaches, the future of the EU’s migration policy — and the fate of thousands of migrants awaiting asylum decisions — hangs in the balance