- The EU border agency has helped deport over 50,000 people since 2007, including to Afghanistan and Iraq
- In the coming years, the plan is for it to aid in the removal of 50,000 people annually
- Recent legal reforms give more powers to the agency
- Abuse on Frontex-coordinated deportations is known to have gone unpunished
- Safeguards and oversight mechanisms are weak and lack independence
- Negotiations are ongoing on proposed changes to EU law governing deportations
- The aim is to minimise peoples’ rights and increase state powers
- There is no evidence the changes would be effective
- But they would be more harmful to individuals
- In particular, the increased use of detention would breach fundamental rights
3. New powers for Frontex
2. Databases for deportations
1. Cutting rights to increase removals
- New and expanded biometric databases are key to the EU’s deportation plans
- The aim is for easily-accessible data on all foreign nationals
- These changes undermine key data protection principles
- They increase the risk of racial profiling
- They will require massive investment in coercive infrastructure and personnel