EU passes law allowing offshore deportation centres

AI Summary

The European Union has passed a law permitting the establishment of offshore deportation centers in third countries. This Return Regulation allows member states to form agreements with non-EU countries for deporting irregular immigrants, a measure praised by the European Commission president but criticized by others for neglecting migrants' safety and rights.

The Return Regulation approves the deportation of irregular immigrants to third-party countries; states can now form agreements with non-EU countries and set up deportation centres there; even as European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen hailed the law as ‘fair and firm’, critics say it has ‘little regard for people’s safety, dignity and rights, and fails to uphold the EU’s fundamental values’