EU’s New Plan: Rejected Asylum Seekers to Be Sent to ‘Return Hubs’ by 2027

Five European Union nations are pushing to send rejected asylum applicants to processing centers outside the bloc, with a goal of launching the system by early 2027. Danish Immigration Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek announced on Friday that the countries are negotiating with an unnamed non-EU nation to host what he called a “return hub.” A return hub is a facility where migrants who have been denied asylum can be held while their deportation is arranged. The plan aims to speed up removals, which are often delayed when migrants stay in EU countries after their claims fail. The minister did not name the five EU states involved or the potential host country. He said the target start date is January 1, 2027. The announcement comes as EU governments face growing political pressure to manage migration more strictly. Under current rules, many rejected applicants remain in Europe for years because their home countries refuse to take them back or because legal appeals drag on. Return hubs would be located outside EU territory, but the details of how they would operate, including funding and legal oversight, remain unclear. Bek said the deal is still in early stages, and no final agreement has been signed.