Europe’s Migration Policies: A Quiet Shift Toward Trump-like Toughness

[Social Media]

 

As anti-immigration sentiment surges across Europe, political leaders are increasingly adopting migration strategies that, while less overtly inflammatory than those of Donald Trump, are edging closer to his controversial policies. Though European leaders avoid explicitly endorsing the mass deportation of millions or imposing a blanket ban on Muslims—except for perhaps Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán—the European Union (EU) is moving towards policies that bear striking similarities to those of Trump’s administration.

 

The trend of tightening borders has gained momentum after significant electoral victories by anti-immigrant parties throughout Europe. Unlike Trump’s frequently racist and xenophobic rhetoric, European leaders have largely refrained from such inflammatory language. However, when it comes to migration policy itself, the gap between the EU and Trump’s approach is not as wide as it may seem. Recent meetings in Brussels revealed European leaders engaging in long discussions about faster deportations, migrant processing centers, and even "hybrid warfare," a term they use to describe the tactic of hostile powers using migrants to destabilize Europe.

 

The Dutch anti-immigrant and anti-Islam populist leader Geert Wilders summed it up when he declared, “A new wind is blowing in Europe,” following a gathering of far-right figures in Brussels. His sentiment highlights how far Europe's political mainstream has shifted on the issue of migration in just a few years.

 

Since the 2015 migration crisis, when over a million refugees, predominantly fleeing the Syrian civil war, arrived in Europe, the EU has steadily hardened its stance. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel's famous "we can do it" message in welcoming refugees has given way to the bloc now working actively to prevent new arrivals from reaching its borders. In 2023, fewer than 300,000 migrants made it to the continent, and this year, the EU’s border agency, Frontex, estimates only 160,000 migrants will reach European shores.

 

In response to growing domestic pressures, several European countries have introduced new border measures. Poland recently halted the processing of asylum requests from migrants crossing from Belarus, citing national security concerns. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reinstated border checks this summer after a Syrian man carried out a knife attack, killing three people and injuring several others. Six other European nations, including France, Austria, and Italy, have also introduced new border control measures aimed at stopping the flow of undocumented migrants.

 

Experts suggest that if Trump were to return to the White House, it could embolden European leaders who are already leaning toward a stricter migration stance. Alberto-Horst Neidhardt, head of European migration and diversity at the European Policy Centre, remarked, “Certainly, many member states that have pushed for a restrictive approach to migration will be watching the American elections very closely. This will give [EU countries pushing for more restrictions] further bargaining chips to push for their preferences both in the U.S. as well as in the EU.”

 

The growing talk of "return hubs" and migrant "processing centers" in EU discussions mirrors some of Trump’s policies, such as his "Migrant Protection Program" (also known as "Remain in Mexico"). This controversial program, implemented in 2019, required thousands of non-Mexican migrants to remain in Mexico while their U.S. asylum applications were processed. The EU is now exploring similar approaches. In a recent letter to EU leaders, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen supported the creation of “return hubs”—facilities to hold migrants in non-EU countries. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has even begun establishing processing centers in Albania, a move that echoes Australia’s controversial practice of processing asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea.

 

Meanwhile, France is pushing for changes to EU law that would make it easier to deport migrants to third countries. The EU already boasts an extensive network of physical barriers, with thousands of kilometers of fencing along its external borders, far surpassing Trump’s heavily publicized but incomplete border wall with Mexico.

 

Some analysts warn that the normalization of this tough migration rhetoric across Europe is driving the policy direction toward the hard right. Whether or not Trump returns to power, Europe seems to be quietly mirroring his stance on migration, reinforcing border controls, and exploring increasingly restrictive methods to manage incoming migrants and refugees.

 

Based on a report from Politico 2024-10-22

 

 

 

[John Drake]

Just cut them off. No benefits at all for non-citizens. No free housing. No free food. No cash. No telephones. No health coverage. Nothing. They'll leave of their own accord soon enough.

[Eric Loh]

4 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Just cut them off. No benefits at all for non-citizens. No free housing. No free food. No cash. No telephones. No health coverage. Nothing. They'll leave of their own accord soon enough.

There are UN International Convention on the Protection and humane rights for migrants. Of course, Trump has no regards for UN convention in his border policies. 

[milesinnz]

50 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

There are UN International Convention on the Protection and humane rights for migrants. Of course, Trump has no regards for UN convention in his border policies. 

as far as I know, Thailand is not signed up to these.. time for European countries to withdraw.. they are no longer fit for their original purpose... the US could withdraw as well.. that should satisfy you ?

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Just cut them off. No benefits at all for non-citizens. No free housing. No free food. No cash. No telephones. No health coverage. Nothing. They'll leave of their own accord soon enough.

Add mandatory deportation for any convicted of a crime.

[jippytum]

Action not  just words against illegal immigration is a vote winner. 

Voters are quarenteed action from Trump that's why they are voting for him. 

[giddyup]

Why do they wait until things reach a critical level before anything is done? The writing has been on the wall for years but the pollies have their heads buried in the sand.

[Keep Right]

Build that wall, Build that wall, Build that wall.

 

The great United States president Abraham Lincoln had a great plan for the slaves after the Civil War, too bad it was never implemented. The great President Donald Trump also had a plan for the Mexican invaders but this plan did not come to fruition because the Democrats opposed him at every opportunity. I hope the Europeans have better luck at preventing the illegal aliens from invading their boarders.

[Will B Good]

8 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Why do they wait until things reach a critical level before anything is done? The writing has been on the wall for years but the pollies have their heads buried in the sand.

 

They wanted them....up to a certain number/point at least....although it was unpalatable for the politicians to say so to the general public.

 

Germany benefited tremendously by taking in the middle and upper classes from Syria. 

 

 

[JonnyF]

2 hours ago, giddyup said:

Why do they wait until things reach a critical level before anything is done? The writing has been on the wall for years but the pollies have their heads buried in the sand.

 

Because they have a globalist agenda and bow down to multinationals who want cheap labour. 

 

The fact that the citizens are not accepting it and voting in right wing governments has taken them by surprise. Hence the backtracking. Too late. 

[Scouse123]

10 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Add mandatory deportation for any convicted of a crime.

 

 

Difficult to deport when many of them throw their passports away once in the dinghy to the UK and refuse to say where they originate, coupled with certain governments refusing to take them back without proof of nationality.

[Scouse123]

Most of Trump like toughness was bluster and smoke and mirrors.

 

Many, if not most, of his loud boasts of controlling immigration, building walls etc never actually came to fruition.

 

Mind you, on his world trips, he must have been on some great golf courses.

 

If he's the best the USA has to offer, you are in a worse state than the UK.

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

Difficult to deport when many of them throw their passports away once in the dinghy to the UK and refuse to say where they originate, coupled with certain governments refusing to take them back without proof of nationality.

Jail them till they say where they are from. That'll work. They throw their documents away because they know they'll be able to stay. If they just end up in detention that incentive is gone.

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Most of Trump like toughness was bluster and smoke and mirrors.

 

Many, if not most, of his loud boasts of controlling immigration, building walls etc never actually came to fruition.

 

Mind you, on his world trips, he must have been on some great golf courses.

 

If he's the best the USA has to offer, you are in a worse state than the UK.

Many, if not most, of his loud boasts of controlling immigration, building walls etc never actually came to fruition.

 

I can only assume you were not paying attention when he had an agreement with Mexico to stop them. That was cancelled by Biden.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remain_in_Mexico

Remain in Mexico (officially Migrant Protection Protocols) is a United States immigration policy originally implemented in January 2019 under the administration of President Donald Trump, affecting immigration across the border with Mexico. Administered by the Department of Homeland Security, it requires migrants seeking asylum to remain in Mexico until their US immigration court date.

The policy was initially ended by the Biden administration,

[Stargeezr]

Uh posters, this story is about Europe, the the4 USA, or is my sense of Geography all messed up?

    I would also add, it is about time, but maybe already too late for Europe, and the UK.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Stargeezr said:

Uh posters, this story is about Europe, the the4 USA, or is my sense of Geography all messed up?

    I would also add, it is about time, but maybe already too late for Europe, and the UK.

I never lived in Europe to comment about it, but IMO for sure the UK is gone. It's just a matter of watching it rotate slowly into insignificance.

Hard to understand how that nation could rule half the world- the Empire on which the sun never set.

[JonnyF]

11 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

Difficult to deport when many of them throw their passports away once in the dinghy to the UK and refuse to say where they originate, coupled with certain governments refusing to take them back without proof of nationality.

It's only difficult due to weak government.

 

If they can't produce proof to remain then put them in the IDC until they can. 50 to a cell. 2 meals a day. 

 

Same as Thailand does. 

 

They'd soon stop paying gangs to come here once the incentives were removed. 

 

Any expats who cannot accept such a regime should leave Thailand and go back to their nanny state liberal countries. 

[mokwit]

23 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

There are UN International Convention on the Protection and humane rights for migrants. Of course, Trump has no regards for UN convention in his border policies. 

They are no longer fit for purpose and are being abused,

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, mokwit said:

They are no longer fit for purpose and are being abused,

Seems some are very selective on which UN resolutions to support and which to ignore.

[Scouse123]

11 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Jail them till they say where they are from. That'll work. They throw their documents away because they know they'll be able to stay. If they just end up in detention that incentive is gone.

 

 

That could work, but we haven't the spaces for them, if you look at yesterday's news, they are letting criminals out of jail having served only 40% of their sentence due to overcrowding.

[Scouse123]

3 hours ago, JonnyF said:

It's only difficult due to weak government.

 

If they can't produce proof to remain then put them in the IDC until they can. 50 to a cell. 2 meals a day. 

 

Same as Thailand does. 

 

They'd soon stop paying gangs to come here once the incentives were removed. 

 

Any expats who cannot accept such a regime should leave Thailand and go back to their nanny state liberal countries. 

 

 

I agree with all you say, now we just need a UK government that's strong enough to implement it.

[Scouse123]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Seems some are very selective on which UN resolutions to support and which to ignore.

 

China, USA and Russia rings a bell.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, Scouse123 said:

 

China, USA and Russia rings a bell.

I had a different country in mind, but them too.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

I agree with all you say, now we just need a UK government that's strong enough to implement it.

Don't hold your breath.

IMO the country will be destroyed before the dead hand of the liberal mob is released from the proverbial throat of the country.

I can't remember a decent leader of a western country since Kennedy was assassinated.

[thaibeachlovers]

7 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

That could work, but we haven't the spaces for them, if you look at yesterday's news, they are letting criminals out of jail having served only 40% of their sentence due to overcrowding.

I was thinking more along the lines of a camp in the middle of Dartmoor, preferably in the live firing range.

The army could guard it  give them something useful to do, since they ain't stopping them landing.

[Scouse123]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I never lived in Europe to comment about it, but IMO for sure the UK is gone. It's just a matter of watching it rotate slowly into insignificance.

Hard to understand how that nation could rule half the world- the Empire on which the sun never set.

 

 

Anybody would get that view and agree with you if they hadn't been there or weren't from there.

 

London has been taken over completely with ridiculous, unhinged policies, and there is a lunatic in charge, as the London mayor.

 

A great deal of the ghettos and inner city problems have been formed by governments past and present, by relocating MANY of the illegal immigrants and refugees to the poorer, cheaper areas of the North of England. Out of sight, out of mind.

 

These towns and cities once formed the backbone of textiles, confectionary, steel, coal, etc but are now in steep decline.

 

These places, especially the town centres, are full of non-working Albanians, Romanians, former East European migrants. Shoplifting, thieving, petty crime and violence are now every day occurrences. Add back the British lame and lazy, and a drug epidemic, that is what the outside world is seeing.

 

If you move away from the likes of Rotherham, Liverpool, Rochdale, Sheffield, Hull, Halifax, Bradford, Burnley, Barnsley etc there are some magnificent parts of the UK, unscathed and untouched by all the problems that grab the headlines.

 

Richmond, York, Thirsk, Lake District, Whitby, Yorkshire Dales, too many to mention, are still outstanding.

 

 

 

https://www.yorkshirecoastalcottages.com/blog/the-most-beautiful-places-in-yorkshire/

 

https://www.laurushomes.co.uk/blog/posts/top-7-beauty-spots-to-visit-and-walk-in-lancashire/

 

https://northernlifemagazine.co.uk/prettiest-places-to-visit-in-lancashire/

 

[Scouse123]

19 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I was thinking more along the lines of a camp in the middle of Dartmoor, preferably in the live firing range.

The army could guard it  give them something useful to do, since they ain't stopping them landing.

 

 

You would have all the lefties and tree huggers marching and complaining they don't have Wi-Fi and snooker tables as well as Halal food.

[marin]

14 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

You would have all the lefties and tree huggers marching and complaining they don't have Wi-Fi and snooker tables as well as Halal food.

Showed your knowledge of the USA. We dont play snooker. Damn go hug a tree. 

[Scouse123]

6 hours ago, marin said:

Showed your knowledge of the USA. We dont play snooker. Damn go hug a tree. 

 

Showed your knowledge of the UK

 

In the post above your incorrect interjection, we were referring to illegals in the UK, so brushing up on your reading skills and attention span would be a great idea.

 

So, you go hug a tree!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 23 by Scouse123

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

You would have all the lefties and tree huggers marching and complaining they don't have Wi-Fi and snooker tables as well as Halal food.

Perhaps they could be invited to provide such at their own expense, though I doubt they believe in it enough to pay for it themselves.