European Parliament's Deportation Vote Sparks Outcry and Chants

WHO:

Yahoo - Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted on the Return Regulation.

Fox News - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the legislation a "historic measure."

Yahoo - Socialist Vice President of the European Parliament Javi López criticized the session as "disgraceful."

Yahoo - Italian Green and Left Alliance Member of the European Parliament Ilaria Salis described the celebration as "horrifying."

Yahoo - United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk warned about the new rules.

WHAT:

Yahoo - The European Parliament approved the Return Regulation with a vote of 418 to 218, with 30 abstentions.

Yahoo - The new rules allow member states to detain some migrants for up to 24 months, with a possible six-month extension.

Yahoo - The legislation aims to speed up the removal of third-country nationals who are staying illegally in the European Union.

Yahoo - Right-wing lawmakers chanted "send them back" after the vote was announced.

Yahoo - Critics accused lawmakers of dehumanizing migrants and weakening core protections.

WHERE:

Yahoo - The vote took place in the European Parliament.

WHEN:

Yahoo - The vote occurred on June 17.

WHY:

Yahoo - Supporters argue the rules are necessary due to the struggle of EU countries to enforce deportation orders.

Yahoo - The European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) stated that only around 20% of migrants who receive a return decision are actually returned.

HOW:

Yahoo - The new framework includes the creation of "return hubs" outside the European Union in third countries willing to accept migrants with return decisions.

Yahoo - The legislation still requires formal approval by the Council of the European Union and publication in the Official Journal before it goes into force.

(UPDATED June 21, 2026 08:24 UTC)

The European Parliament has approved the Return Regulation with a vote of 418 to 218, allowing member states to detain certain migrants for up to 24 months, with a possible six-month extension. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed the legislation as a "historic measure," while critics, including Socialist Vice President Javi López and Italian MEP Ilaria Salis, condemned the session as "disgraceful" and "horrifying." The new rules aim to expedite the removal of third-country nationals staying illegally in the EU, but they still require formal approval by the Council of the European Union before taking effect.