EU Agrees Plan to Send Illegal Immigrants to Return Hubs Outside Bloc

Europe continues to harden its stance on illegal immigration to allow longer entry bans and tougher detention rules.

Immigrants stand behind a fence after being gathered by Greek coast guard officers following their disembarkation from a cargo ship at the port of Lavrio, south of Athens, Greece, on July 10, 2025. Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images

The European Union has reached a provisional deal on new rules that would allow member states to send illegal immigrants to “return hubs” outside the bloc, as Brussels seeks to speed up deportations.

In a June 1 statement, the Council of the EU said that the new rules impose obligations on third-country nationals who have no right to stay in member states to cooperate with the authorities.