Frontex and deportations: the shift to the right is coming

The European Commission unveiled two legislative drafts on Tuesday aimed at transforming Frontex, the EU’s border agency, into a central actor for deportations across the bloc. Interior Commissioner Magnus Brunner stated that the proposal designates Frontex as the primary EU entity responsible for returns. The plan includes establishing a return coordination center within the agency to organize expulsions throughout Europe. According to the commission, this authority would extend beyond the external borders, allowing Frontex to manage and execute returns from non-EU countries to other non-EU states. This provision specifically addresses the creation of return hubs located outside the union. The legislation also seeks to enhance Frontex’s digital capabilities by creating an online monitoring and response center. Under Article 33 of the proposed amendment to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency regulation, this center would monitor publicly available internet content that facilitates, promotes, or provides instructions for unauthorized crossing of the union’s external borders. This surveillance targets social media posts used by individuals fleeing toward Europe to coordinate their movements. The data gathered would help Frontex assess future migration pressure points. Furthermore, the commission intends to designate Frontex as a trusted flagger under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Entities with this status report potentially criminal content directly to platforms, which must then process these reports with priority. Vice President Henna Virkkunen announced that Frontex would apply for this designation, citing the agency’s specific expertise in border technologies. She expressed confidence in its approval. The draft also mandates cooperation with Europol, which has previously reported social media accounts advertising smuggling services. In December 2021, Europol reported deleting 455 accounts that allegedly facilitated illegal migration from Belarus to Europe. In the area of crisis response, the proposals include a rapid deployment force that member states can request for immediate reinforcement. The executive director of Frontex would decide whether this unit deploys to a specific member state. Brunner emphasized the need for Frontex to arrive within hours rather than weeks. Personnel for this reserve would draw from border officials in EU countries. The commission plans to expand this standing reserve to 30,000 personnel by 2041. Of this total, 17,000 would belong to a new border and return reserve. Additionally, Frontex’s own staff and the existing 7,000 seconded employees from member states would double. These measures serve as a reaction to events in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta at the end of July. During that incident, tens of thousands of people swam from neighboring Morocco to Ceuta. More than 140 individuals reportedly died during the crossing. Most of those who reached Spain have since returned to Morocco. This legislative push follows years of gradual expansion of Frontex’s role. Since 2006, the agency has coordinated and financed collective returns upon request by member states. From 2016, it could initiate such operations independently. However, the scale remained limited due to skepticism among member states. Some raised human rights concerns, while others feared losing control over deportation decisions. Consequently, the first fully Frontex-initiated collective removal occurred only in 2022, followed by just a handful of similar operations. The commission appears to view current political shifts as an opportunity to overcome these historical reservations. A recent vote in the European Parliament regarding return hubs in March 2026 resulted in a defeat for those opposing the measure. Shifting majorities in the EU Council further facilitate this agenda. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt immediately called for expanded Frontex powers following the Ceuta incident. Conversely, Frontex Director Hans Leijtens warned against transferring too much decision-making power away from national authorities. Despite these mixed signals, the momentum suggests a move toward centralized control. Public opposition emerged simultaneously in Germany. Thousands protested at six airports under the slogan "Nationally Against Deportations." Demonstrators opposed the establishment of detention facilities for deportation and new anti-migration laws. The protests highlighted domestic resistance to the very policies Brussels is advancing. The commission’s strategy relies on leveraging the political climate to solidify Frontex’s transformation from a service provider for national border guards into an independent EU border police force with distinct competencies. The integration of digital surveillance tools and the trusted flagger status aims to preemptively identify and disrupt irregular migration networks before they reach EU soil. The planned increase in personnel numbers represents a substantial logistical undertaking, requiring significant resources and infrastructure development over the coming decade. The interplay between national sovereignty and supranational enforcement remains the central tension in this policy shift. Member states will likely scrutinize the operational details of the return hubs and the legal safeguards surrounding the new digital monitoring powers. The final outcome depends on negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, where divergent interests continue to shape the debate. The commission maintains that efficiency and security require a unified approach to managing migration flows and enforcing return obligations across the entire territory of the union.