German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced that 'technical discussions' are underway with non-EU countries to establish controversial 'return hubs' — detention centers outside the bloc where migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected would be sent. The announcement came after a meeting with counterparts from Denmark, Greece, Austria, and the Netherlands in Copenhagen.

Dobrindt expressed hope of reaching an agreement with third countries by the end of the year, though he did not name specific nations. Uganda and Rwanda are seen as likely candidates, both of which are autocratically ruled.

Danish Migration Minister Morten Bodskov said he expects a 'common understanding' with a partner country outside the EU by New Year. The Greek and Danish ministers aim to make the hubs operational by 2027. 'We do not accept that foreigners staying illegally in Denmark should be rewarded because of our difficulties in returning them,' Bodskov stated.

The plan has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups. Andreas Grünewald, a migration expert at the German charity Brot für die Welt, called it 'practically difficult to implement and highly problematic in terms of human rights,' warning of 'political dead ends.'

Marta Welander from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said the plan risks 'normalizing detainment in prison-like facilities' and warned that deportees may face 'persecution, torture or worse' in destination countries.

Caritas, a Catholic charity, cautioned that migrants could become trapped in a 'legal grey area' if 'arbitrarily and indefinitely detained' in the hubs. Florian Westphal, CEO of Save the Children Germany, highlighted risks to children: 'Transferring children to states with which they have no connection, where they face deprivation of liberty and are cut off from key figures, cannot be in their best interests.'

The UK previously adopted a similar scheme under the Conservative government but scrapped it after Labour came to power. Italy's right-wing government under Giorgia Meloni reached a deal with Albania, which is currently facing legal challenges. The legality of such hubs under EU law remains unclear, though a European Court of Justice opinion in April suggested Italian centers in Albania do not violate EU law, provided legal counsel, language support, and family contact are maintained.

Source: www.dw.com