Five EU countries move toward first ‘return hub’ for rejected asylum seekers

Five European Union countries are moving toward plans for migrant return hubs outside the bloc, creating a new mechanism for handling rejected asylum claims.

The proposed facilities would process rejected asylum seekers before their repatriation. The participating countries hope to complete an agreement with a partner nation this year.

Human rights groups have raised concerns about possible risks to migrants. The centers are nevertheless intended to operate within international legal frameworks.