Should Illegal Migrants Be Deported to Camps Outside Europe? Here’s What’s Going to Happen”

Europe is trying to reduce the number of people who come in without permission and wants to send back those who don’t qualify for asylum more quickly. To help with this, the European Commission has suggested a new system that could include setting up “return hubs” in countries outside the EU.

These hubs would be places where people whose asylum claims have been denied could be sent while they wait to be returned to their home countries. The idea is to manage returns more efficiently and cut down on irregular migration.

But many people are worried about this plan. Human rights groups say sending people to other countries, especially ones that may not be fully safe or prepared to handle asylum cases fairly, can lead to serious problems. These problems include poor treatment, lack of legal support, and violations of basic human rights.

An example of this issue is the agreement between Italy and Albania. In 2023, Italy and Albania agreed to build two centers in Albania for migrants who were rescued at sea and came from countries considered “safe.” These migrants would stay in these centers while their asylum applications were processed. However, Italian courts stopped the plan several times due to legal and constitutional issues. Despite the concerns, Italy has started using these centers to hold people who have already been denied asylum.

One case that raised concern was that of Moetaz, a 28-year-old from Egypt. He arrived in Italy after crossing the sea from Libya, where he says he was mistreated and tortured. He was rescued near the Italian coast but was quickly told he would be transferred to Albania. He was only 200 meters from the Italian shore. A translator told him that if his asylum request was accepted, he could go to Italy, but if not, he could be deported or even jailed.

Moetaz stayed in Albania for just a week before the Court of Rome ruled that he shouldn’t be detained because Egypt wasn’t considered a safe country in his case. His situation showed the weaknesses in the system Italy is trying to build, and now his case is being reviewed by the European Court of Justice.

His lawyer, Gennaro Santoro, said that fast-tracking people from so-called safe countries is unfair and may even go against Italy’s Constitution. He explained that detaining someone in a foreign country—whether it’s Albania today or Tunisia or Niger tomorrow—can prevent them from getting proper legal help and support. In Moetaz’s case, his lawyer couldn’t even speak to him before the court hearing. It was only during the hearing that he learned about Moetaz’s torture in Libya and the danger he faced back in Egypt.

Meanwhile, Tomas Tobé, a European politician who supports the EU’s return plan, said the EU’s idea is different from Italy’s deal with Albania. He said the EU return hubs would only be used for people whose asylum cases have already been denied. Tobé said he believes Europe must work with countries outside the EU to manage migration, even though it’s difficult. He also said Europe should protect those who truly qualify for asylum, but for those who don’t, the rules should be followed and returns handled effectively.

Back in 2018, the European Commission said that return centers outside Europe were not legal. But now, ideas that used to be seen as extreme are becoming more accepted in EU policies. Critics say this is a worrying shift and could hurt human rights in the long run.