In June 2026, a series of changes to the European Union’s migration regulations took effect, re-sparking alarms over risks to basic human rights. Alongside the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which kicked in mid-June, EU politicians passed the so-called Return Regulation. Among other things, the overall framework allows the collection of biometric data from young children, prolonged detention, and the transfer of asylum seekers to camps in third countries with which they share no connection.

If this sounds like a page from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK scrapbook, it is not far from reality: the necessary parliamentary votes were secured through cooperation between the right-wing and far-right groups in the European Parliament, with occasional support from liberals. “In a situation of economic crisis, part of the EU right-wing parties and establishment are tempted to ally with the far-right to push through repressive laws and reforms,” Marc Botenga of the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA) told BreakThrough News. “Migration and racism are one of the topics on which you see this materialize.”

“It also plays into a strategy of dividing the working classes. It is no coincidence that the same alliance of politicians are the same ones who systematically oppose taxing the billionaires, push funding cuts in public services, and oppose better working conditions.”

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Botenga adds that these EU-level changes are reinforced at the national level, including Belgium’s move toward home searches, drawing images of a “US-style ICE.” Border control authorities – including those implicated in violent pushbacks – claim the new framework and related measures will act as a “deterrent” for those seeking asylum “without merit.”

However, Emina Bužinkić, a migration researcher and international solidarity activist based in Croatia, argues that these measures are an extension of decades-long EU policies. She describes the Migration Pact as part of a “policy of control and death” that has already led to increased deaths at EU borders, including seas and rivers.

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The left group in the European Parliament has been the loudest voice opposing the recent reforms inside EU institutions, warning that they prioritize “walls, barbed wire, and agreements with authoritarian regimes” over people’s safety. The Return Regulation exacerbates these concerns by allowing the transfer of migrants to so-called return hubs in third countries based on agreements reached by EU states. The model draws inspiration from a controversial Italy-Albania deal, which has allowed Giorgia Meloni’s administration to detain migrants outside Italian territory.

While conservative politicians claim the policies include safeguards against human rights abuses, progressives and migration experts insist there is no escaping the laws’ content. “This specific law violates Europe’s international obligations and human rights, including through the deportation of children,” Botenga emphasized in the case of the Return Regulation. “Let’s be very concrete, it means children with their families could be detained for two years, before being sent to camps in countries they have no connection with whatsoever. This law means that someone from Latin America could end up in a camp paid for in Egypt or India, where they would be forgotten.”

Bužinkić similarly notes that the right to asylum finds itself under serious attack. For instance, there will be effectively no asylum for people from countries considered “safe,” such as Morocco, India, or Bangladesh. “According to the EU, there’s no danger there, so no need for asylum either,” she pointed out in a recent interview.

“I think the most alarming here is the total dehumanization of people, even children, being celebrated by both right-wing and far-right politicians with chants such as ‘Send them back,’” Botenga says. “It really marks a new step.”

Ana Vračar , July 9, 2026

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