Denmark Pledges Action Against Migrants Denied Asylum

Denmark says it hopes to be ready by the end of next year to send its first rejected asylum seekers to a partner country outside Europe. Migration Minister Morten Bodskov made the statement in Copenhagen after meeting counterparts from Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Greece to discuss establishing deportation centers beyond the European Union.

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We hope that by the end of next year we will be ready to send the first foreigners to a partner country.

“This is an important step toward a more effective asylum and migration system,” Bodskov said. He also rejected the idea that people who remain in Denmark illegally should benefit simply because authorities face difficulties returning them. “We do not agree that foreigners who stay illegally in Denmark should be rewarded just because it is difficult for us to return them,” he said.

The European Parliament approved tougher migration rules in June. The measures give authorities broader powers to detain people and allow the creation of return centers. Human rights groups have strongly criticized the rules.

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This is an important step toward a more effective asylum and migration system.

Denmark has not identified its prospective partner country or countries. Uganda and Rwanda are considered likely candidates. Britain abandoned a plan to deport irregular migrants to Rwanda, while Italy’s migrant-processing centers in Albania have faced legal challenges and have operated very slowly.

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We do not agree that foreigners who stay illegally in Denmark should be rewarded just because it is difficult for us to return them.