EU Approves External Migrant Detention Centers

European lawmakers approved a measure on Thursday to facilitate the creation of migrant detention centers outside the European Union, allowing individual member states or small groups to deport rejected asylum seekers to these facilities rather than their countries of origin.

The European Parliament voted 389 to 206 in favor of the proposal, with 32 abstentions. The decision, part of a broader package aimed at tightening immigration rules, received support from center-right and far-right parties that formed an unusual alliance. Left-wing and centrist groups opposed the measure, citing concerns over human rights.

Under the new rules, EU countries can now negotiate directly with non-EU governments, primarily in Africa, to establish so-called return hubs. These centers would hold migrants whose asylum claims have been denied, streamlining deportations and imposing stricter penalties for those who refuse to leave, including extended detention and entry bans. Several nations, including Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Denmark, have already begun talks to host such sites.

Proponents argue the hubs will serve as a deterrent, discouraging irregular migration to Europe. "The...