- 15th of April 2026: Afghan migrants in Poland fear forced deportation after authorities restricted access to asylum procedures for those entering via the Belarus border.
- 14th of April 2026: Germany has frozen access to free integration courses for most asylum seekers, affecting around 129,500 people.
- A report from 20 March 2026 noted that Austria has approved the opening of negotiations with Uzbekistan on a migration agreement aimed at facilitating returns of rejected asylum seekers, including transit migrants. It also highlighted that Poland is preparing to construct a new 4-meter-high fence along parts of its border with Belarus to deter irregular crossings. In addition, Germany has announced plans to end federal funding for independent legal counselling for asylum seekers from 2027. The decision has been criticized by opposition parties and NGOs, who argue that it will weaken legal safeguards and make asylum procedures harder to navigate.
- 27 March 2026: Germany and the Netherlands have reached an agreement to work together on enhancing border security and enforcing the European Asylum and Migration Pact. Their cooperation will particularly emphasize arranging the return of unsuccessful asylum applicants to their home countries through planned return hubs that are still to be established.
- 25 March 2026: Sweden’s government proposed a bill requiring migrants to demonstrate an “honest living” to retain residence permits, with failures potentially leading to deportation.
- The EU and Nigeria signed a returns agreement to repatriate Nigerians without legal status, accompanied by €290 million in funding for infrastructure, health, agriculture, and migration management.
- 20 March 2026: Portugal approved a bill to tighten migration rules, extend detention, speed up deportations, and impose longer re-entry bans.
- 19 March 2026: Sweden’s restrictive migration policies have worsened healthcare staffing shortages, prompting the government to pause new deportations of skilled workers and ease work-permit rules for healthcare roles.
- Two Afghan men convicted of serious crimes in Hamburg were deported directly to Kabul via Istanbul, as Germany continues its policy of removing foreign nationals who pose a threat to public safety.
- An article published on the 17th of March 2026 reported that Berlin’s Justice Senator ruled that migrant quotas in public-sector hiring violate constitutional rules, emphasizing that recruitment should be based on merit and qualifications. Although the quotas were intended to boost representation, they have been suspended, leaving open the question of how to guarantee fairness and prevent discrimination in hiring.
- 11 March 2026: 6 Iraqi nationals (aged 26-42) were convicted in Hanover for smuggling hundreds of migrants along the Balkan route in life-threatening conditions. Most received prison terms of three to eight years, while one got a suspended sentence; five are appealing.
- 11 March 2026: Austrian and Europol officials have shut down a large criminal ring that trafficked roughly 100,000 migrants into the EU. The operation, spanning seven countries, led to 130 arrests. The network, which earned over €1 billion, operates across central and eastern Europe. The investigation was triggered by a fatal car crash in Austria that revealed critical evidence, marking the largest EU smuggling bust to date.
