European Parliament Approves Deportation Rules for 'Safe' Countries
Lawmakers voted Feb. 3, 2026, to let member states deport migrants to designated 'safe' countries; rules take effect June 1, 2026.
Overview
The European Parliament voted Feb. 3, 2026, to approve measures allowing member states to designate "safe countries of origin" and to deport migrants to "safe third countries," passing the measures 408-184 and 396-226, parliamentary records show.
The measures, ratifying a December ministers' decision, will let authorities fast-track rejections and deport asylum-seekers from Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia, according to European Parliament documents.
Human rights organizations, including the International Rescue Committee, warned the rules could force people to countries where they have no ties and face a risk of abuse, the IRC's senior adviser Meron Ameha Knikman said in a statement.
Supporters of the measures included the center-right European People's Party and three nationalist and far-right groups, producing the decisive votes and reflecting gains by far-right MEPs after the 2024 elections, voting records show.
The laws require final formal approval by the 27 EU member governments and are expected to take effect June 1, 2026, but rights groups and some national courts have said they will seek legal challenges that could delay implementation.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the vote as contentious by combining neutral facts with critical editorial language and selective emphasis. They use loaded phrasing (calling "return hubs" a "euphemism for deportation centers"), prioritize human-rights voices and opponents' warnings about deportations, and foreground the center-right’s alliance with the far right to suggest political risk.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco, and Tunisia are designated as safe countries of origin, with EU candidate countries also presumed safe unless specific circumstances apply.
History
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