EU asylum reform echoes Trump-era policies, critics warn

Europe's approach to asylum seekers is increasingly mirroring policies previously associated with Donald Trump, particularly with the EU's recent agreement on a new return directive. This reform permits the establishment of 'return hubs' in third countries, a move that critics argue is a dangerous step backward in migration policy.

The core idea behind these return hubs is to process asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected. If an individual cannot be deported to their country of origin due to a lack of agreements, EU countries could potentially expel them to a third nation. Potential locations for these hubs include countries like Libya and Uzbekistan, where human rights protections are reportedly weak.

Hein de Haas, a Dutch migration researcher, described the current political climate surrounding migration as a "peeing contest," where politicians prioritize sounding tough over implementing effective policies. He stated in a 2025 ZEIT interview that proposals often prove counterproductive. This new EU policy, allowing for the outsourcing of asylum processing to countries with questionable human rights records, is seen by many as a symptom of this competitive and ultimately detrimental approach to managing migration.

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Migration policy has become a peeing contest. Politicians want to sound tough and make proposals that are actually counterproductive.