Nearly 70 rights groups slam proposed EU migration reforms, warning they mirror controversial US policies and threaten to turn public services into tools for immigration enforcement.
BRUSSELS: A coalition of nearly 70 rights organisations has launched a scathing critique of proposed European Union migration reforms.
They have called on the European Parliament to abandon the text, comparing its enforcement measures to policies under former US President Donald Trump.
The wide array of associations issued a letter on Monday expressing profound concern. They warned the reforms would oblige member states to “detect” undocumented people in everyday spaces.
“This threat is real and immediate,” the groups stated. They argued the plan would turn public services and community interactions into tools of “ICE-style immigration enforcement,” referencing the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
The proposed reform, pushed by the European Commission, includes several contentious measures. It allows for the creation of “return hubs” outside the EU’s borders to hold rejected asylum seekers.
It also mandates harsher sanctions for those refusing to leave European territory. These sanctions include longer detention periods and the confiscation of identity documents.
Michele LeVoy of the migrant protection group PICUM highlighted the contradiction in supporting such practices. “We cannot be outraged by ICE in the United States while also supporting these practices in Europe,” LeVoy said.
The letter specifically criticised potential police raids and racial profiling. It referenced violent US crackdowns where American citizens were shot dead during enforcement operations.
The measures have already been approved by a majority of EU member states. However, they face strong condemnation from left-wing parliamentarians and migrant protection groups.
The European Commission regularly rejects criticism from rights organisations. The EU executive insists its proposed measures fully respect migrants’ fundamental human rights.
Brussels also argues such actions have public support. It notes the political centre of gravity in Europe has shifted to the right, with a majority of citizens backing stricter migration controls.
The Sun Malaysia
