European Parliament passes sweeping deportation overhaul as lawmakers chant ‘send them back’

The European Parliament erupted into dueling chants Wednesday after lawmakers approved what Euronews called the bloc’s toughest shift in migration policy in decades — a sweeping overhaul of the European Union’s migrant return system that conservative leaders hailed as a turning point in the continent’s approach to illegal immigration.

Members of the European Parliament voted 418 to 218, with 30 abstentions, to adopt the Return Regulation, a measure designed to accelerate the removal of third-country nationals without legal status in the EU. As the tally was announced, right-wing lawmakers stood, applauded and chanted “send them back,” according to video of the session. Left-wing members responded with chants of “shame on you.”

The regulation, passed with the support of center-right and far-right groups in a rare show of unity, would require migrants subject to a return order to generally depart within 30 days. It also authorizes member states to detain some migrants for up to 24 months, with the possibility of a further extension, and creates a framework for offshore “return hubs” — deportation centers in third countries outside the EU.

The Wednesday vote ratified a provisional agreement reached between Parliament and the Council of the European Union on June 1, according to the European Commission. The regulation must still be formally adopted by the Council and published in the Official Journal before entering into force. Under a two-stage implementation schedule, provisions related to return hubs take effect immediately upon publication, while most other measures apply one year later.

Supporters have argued the rules are long overdue. The European Conservatives and Reformists Group, citing European Commission data, noted that only about 20% of migrants who receive a return decision are actually removed — a gap the new regulation is designed to close. Under the rules, migrants are required to cooperate with authorities by providing identification, travel documents and biometric information, and are prohibited from evading enforcement or concealing documents. A new “European Return Order,” recorded in the EU’s Schengen information system, would prevent migrants from circumventing removal by moving between member states.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, speaking via video message from the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, called the vote “a great success” and described the regulation as “a historic measure” that reflects the work of her government. Ms. Meloni said the legislation would allow the EU to swiftly return those without the right to remain and noted that the regulation incorporates the offshore processing model Italy established through its protocol with Albania. Other right-wing figures in France and Austria echoed her praise, framing the vote as evidence that pressure from the right is reshaping EU policy.

Critics were sharply opposed. The socialist vice president of the European Parliament, Javi Lopez, called the plenary session “disgraceful,” while Italian Green and Left Alliance member Ilaria Salis described the post-vote celebration as “horrifying,” according to The Guardian.

Human rights organizations also condemned the measure. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement that he “deeply regretted” the regulation’s adoption, warning that it expands pre-removal detention and enables offshore return hubs. “EU States cannot simply outsource their human rights obligations to third States in this context,” Mr. Turk said.