EU Lawmakers Back Deportation Overhaul 418-218 as Rightwing MEPs Chant 'Send Them Back'
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 18
EU Lawmakers Back Deportation Overhaul 418-218 as Rightwing MEPs Chant 'Send Them Back'
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 18
Summary
A 418-218 vote in the European Parliament approved tougher EU deportation rules, then erupted into chants of “send them back” from rightwing MEPs and “shame on you” from opponents.
The overhaul would allow detention for up to two years, expand deportations of undocumented migrants and permit transfers to offshore centers critics call potential human-rights black holes.
Amnesty International France and 16 UN experts had already attacked the plan as cruel, discriminatory and potentially in breach of international human-rights standards.
Javi López, left-wing lawmakers and other centrists condemned the celebration as disgraceful, while Austria’s Herbert Kickl hailed it as proof that pressure from the right is reshaping EU migration policy.
The clash highlighted how the European Parliament has shifted since the 2024 elections, which brought a record number of nationalist and far-right MEPs.
With far-right support declining, why are their migration policies gaining ground in the EU?
Will offshore migrant centers solve Europe's crisis or just create new human rights abuses?
Is the Italy-Albania migrant deal the blueprint for the future of EU border policy?
Europe’s “Return Regulation” 2026: Tougher Migration Policy, Human Rights Concerns, and Global Repercussions
Overview
On June 17, 2026, the European Parliament approved the "Return Regulation," marking a major shift in the EU’s migration policy. This regulation is a key part of Europe’s broader strategy to tighten migration management, building on the earlier Migration and Asylum Pact. The main goal is to streamline and speed up return procedures for non-EU nationals, while aiming to respect fundamental rights and international law, including the principle of non-refoulement. EU institutions believe that a more effective return system is essential to support the existing asylum framework and ensure successful implementation of return decisions.