The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a human rights watchdog, has accused the EU border agency Frontex of "turning a blind eye towards well-documented systemic human rights violations at Hungary’s Schengen borders." Even after the European Court of Justice had ruled that the extra-judicial pushbacks taking place breached EU law.
The European Union has paid the final instalment of a €6 billion fund to Turkey as part of a deal on hosting refugees. The 2016 agreement has led to standoffs, as Turkey claimed that it had not received all the money promised.
Some non-UK nationals are facing losing their visas, having an application refused or being deported if they are found to be sleeping rough. That's according to a new set of immigration rules introduced by the UK government which came into effect on December 1. A number of London borough councils have pushed back against the rules.
Human Rights Watch has said that thousands of asylum seekers, aid workers and international personnel may be at risk of lead poisoning at the new migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. The camp was constructed on a former military firing range after the Moria camp burned down.
EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson traveled to Morocco for a two-day visit this week. Her aim was to improve cooperation with Morocco on the return of migrants and start the discussion over visa facilitation.
Various European parliamentarians have once again called for the director of Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri, to resign over allegations that the European border agency was involved in pushbacks of migrants in Aegean waters between Greece and Turkey.
EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, speaking at Med Dialogues 2020 in Rome, highlighted that the new EU Pact on Migration "represents a new beginning" in which "the central element is to strengthen cooperation with our neighbors and with our partners."
The UN-recognized government in Libya has detained a coastguard commander Abdalrahman Al-Milad in connection with human trafficking and migrant smuggling. The UN Security Council previously accused him of intentionally sinking migrant boats.
The Christian Associations of Italian Workers (ACLI) have welcomed recent changes to Italy's migrant and security decrees but have demanded a reform of citizenship rights.
The European Union looks poised to find broad political agreement on a new EU migration pact. German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said that the 27 member states might be able to adopt the new legislation before the end of the year.
Thousands of migrant workers pick food for Europe’s supermarkets every year in southern Spain. Often without papers or proper contracts, they toil for hours under plastic and the beating sun, and during the COVID-19 pandemic also often lack protective equipment or proper hygiene facilities.
With increased violence against migrants in Bosnia, the IOM warns that the Balkan nation only has weeks left to find solutions to the migrant situation, as thousands of asylum seekers remain on the streets ahead of the harsh winter months.