European Parliament approves EU migrant resettlement amid uproarious chants

The European Parliament erupted in chants of “take them back” after lawmakers approved an overhaul of the European Union’s migrant return system, marking the latest sign that Europe is moving towards tougher immigration enforcement after years of growing voter anger and frustration.

Members of the European Parliament voted Wednesday 418 to 218, with 30 abstentions, to approve the Return Regulation, a measure designed to speed up the removal of third-country nationals living illegally in the European Union.

Time quickly turned into a firecracker. After the vote was announced, right-wing lawmakers stood up, clapped and chanted “take them back,” according to a video of the meeting. Left-wing lawmakers responded with “shame on you.”

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The law still needs to be formally approved by the Council of the European Union and published in the Official Journal before it can take effect, but the dispute has underlined how deeply divided Europe remains on migration, as the bloc’s institutions push ahead with policies once seen as politically unacceptable.

The new rules will allow member states to detain some migrants for up to 24 months, with a possible six-month extension, and create a framework for “return zones” outside the European Union for third countries willing to accept migrants with return decisions.

‘ADVICE YOUR COUNTRIES’: IS EUROPE FINALLY LISTENING TO TRUMP’S WARNING OF ILLEGAL STANDARDS?

Migrants enter the water near Gravelines, France, as masked smugglers control the scene before boarding a small boat at sunrise on July 2, 2025. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Supporters say the laws are necessary because European Union countries have struggled to enforce deportation orders. The European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), citing the European Commission, said that only about 20 percent of migrants who receive a return decision are actually sent back.

The vote comes after Fox News Digital reported in early June that the European Union appeared to be moving closer to tougher border and asylum laws amid growing concerns about illegal immigration across the continent. The new measures include strict screening, identity and security checks, and the use of biometric data such as fingerprints and facial recognition.

Members of the European Parliament were seen during the June 17 session where chants of “send them home” could be heard as new EU migration rules were voted on. (European Parliament Broadcasting Service)

Conservative leaders hailed the parliamentary vote as a victory. Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgio Meloni, called the result a “great success,” calling the law a “historic step,” according to his letter to X.

Some right-wingers in France and Austria hailed the move as evidence that pressure from the right is reshaping European Union policy.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni addresses the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations at the UN headquarters in New York City on September 20, 2023. (LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Critics, however, accuse lawmakers of demeaning immigrants and weakening basic protections.

The Guardian reported that European Parliament socialist vice-president Javi López called the rally “disgraceful,” while Italian Green and Left Alliance Member of the European Parliament Ilaria Salis described the celebration as “horrific.”

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Migrants crowd the water on the bail of a small inflatable boat as they try to cross the English Channel near the Dover Strait off the coast of Dover, England, September 7, 2020. More than 400 migrants made the journey from France to England by sea last Wednesday, being stopped by UK border guards or arriving ashore in small boats. (Luke Dray/Getty Images)

Human rights organizations have also raised the alarm.

United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk warned the new laws would increase detentions, Reuters reports, create places of return abroad and weaken protections against forced repatriation.