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The European Union is finalizing a comprehensive reform of its migration policy that tightens asylum procedures, accelerates deportations, and strengthens detention centers, marking a shift that recalls the restrictive model promoted by President Donald Trump in the United States.
According to a report by the Associated Press, European ministers gathered in Brussels agreed to create a list of "safe" countries of origin and transit, which will allow for quicker denial of asylum requests and deportation of those coming from nations deemed to pose no risk.
The concept of "safe third country" was also endorsed, allowing member states to send migrants to countries outside the bloc where they can apply for asylum.
Danish Minister Rasmus Stoklund explained that the new regulations aim to "reject those who have no valid reason to seek asylum in Europe" and ensure quicker returns, arguing that "it should not be the traffickers who control access to the continent."
The agreement also includes a common fund referred to as the "solidarity pool," endowed with 430 million euros, to compensate the countries most affected by migratory pressure, including Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and Spain.
However, nations such as Hungary and Poland maintain their opposition to financing the reception of migrants or accepting mandatory quotas.
The European Commission argues that the new system will "give citizens back a sense of control" over the borders, but humanitarian organizations and progressive parties see it as a surrender of the foundational values of the Union.
Amnesty International lawyer, Olivia Sundberg Diez, directly compared the reform to the measures of the Trump administration, warning that it "will inflict deep harm on migrants and the communities that host them."
The text, which will be negotiated with the 720 Members of the European Parliament, has broad support from right-wing and far-right parties, who celebrate the tightening of immigration policy as a political victory.
Among the most controversial elements is the creation of "return centers"—a term that conceals their true function as deportation centers.
These spaces could be located outside European territory through agreements with third countries willing to accept rejected migrants, following a logic similar to the migration agreements that the United States signed with Mexico and Guatemala during Trump's administration.
Experts from the Migration Policy Institute Europe warn that such measures externalize European responsibilities regarding human rights and could lead to scenarios of abuse. "It's a European version of Trump's wall, but bureaucratic and legal," noted one of the analysts quoted by community media.
The reform aims to close a chapter of internal divisions within the EU that began during the migration crisis of 2015, when over a million refugees, mainly from Syria and Iraq, arrived on the continent.
However, the new pact reflects a political shift towards containment and control, more in line with the restrictive trends that have characterized U.S. policy in recent years.
The migration shift in the European Union has been interpreted by many analysts as an adoption of the approach advocated by Donald Trump during his presidency.
In September, the former president defended at the UN his policy of less asylum and more deportations, and openly criticized Europe for allowing a migrant "invasion," while calling to put an end to the "failed experiment of open borders."
This approach has also been reflected in the internal migration offensive of the United States. Throughout 2025, Trump's decisions have had direct consequences on the labor market, with the cancellation of humanitarian parole and massive raids impacting key sectors such as agriculture, construction, and personal care.
The tightening of immigration policies translated into a labor shortage and increased costs for consumers and employers.
In addition to the immigration issue, Trump has maintained a confrontational stance toward the European Union in the economic sphere, publicly denouncing what he considers an unequal relationship.
In various statements, he accused the EU of commercially abusing the United States, anticipating the imposition of tariffs in response to the bilateral deficit and the limited access of American products in the European market.
Tensions escalated further at the end of 2024, when the president warned that new tariffs would be imposed if the EU did not increase its purchases of American oil and gas.
These threats are part of a protectionist strategy that not only pressures the European bloc but also ties its trade relations to migration, energy, and political interests.
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