Brussels, Belgium – Seventy-five European human rights organizations issued a stark warning on Monday, asserting that the European Union’s new plans to deport migrants could lead to harsh crackdowns reminiscent of the methods employed by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This, they warned, could open the door to widespread violations of fundamental rights and social unrest across the continent.
Joint statement: Rejecting the “militarization” of migration
According to the British newspaper The Guardian, the organizations issued a joint statement urging the European Commission to scrap its current plan aimed at streamlining deportation procedures. The controversial European proposals also include the creation of “return centers” in third countries outside the EU to facilitate the deportation of people who do not have a legal right to remain.
Fears of “racial profiling” and raids
The organizations warned that implementing these proposals would “normalize” violent practices currently plaguing American society. These include illegal raids on homes, workplaces, and public spaces; mass surveillance using widespread tracking devices; and racial profiling. They also pointed to the punitive system, reinforced by a system based on suspicion, accusations, and detention, fueled by far-right rhetoric. Michèle Lebois, from the Platform for International Cooperation on Illegal Immigration (PICUM), stated, “We cannot support these practices in Europe while simultaneously being outraged by ICE’s actions in the United States.”
Health crisis and UN warnings
The human rights report indicated that requiring public service agencies to report on migrants could lead to a public health crisis. In such a scenario, migrants would avoid accessing health and education services for fear of deportation. Similarly, 16 UN experts sent a warning letter to the European Union, asserting that the plan could violate international obligations. They also expressed concern about scapegoating migrants for social crises such as the housing crisis.
The rise of the right wing and the rise of anti-Semitic sentiment
These European moves come against a backdrop of heightened social tensions, with the influx of over a million people across the Mediterranean in 2015 and the fallout from wars in the Middle East fueling the rapid rise of far-right parties. Current efforts to streamline deportations reflect pressure from these parties. However, statistics indicate that only one in five undocumented migrants is currently being returned to their countries of origin.
