European Lawmakers Vote for Greater Powers to Deport Illegal Immigrants

According to data, the number of irregular border crossings at the EU’s external borders in 2025 stood at more than 178,000, a 26 percent decline from 2024.

Migrants trying to reach Britain walk on a beach shore in Gravelines, France, on March 18, 2026. AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias

European Union lawmakers have voted for increased powers to deport illegal immigrants to “return hubs″ in African countries and elsewhere outside the bloc’s borders.

The EU Parliament in Brussels approved in a 389–206 vote on March 26 a raft of tighter immigration policies, amid calls from the bloc’s 27 nation states for a more hard-line approach toward illegal immigrants.