The International Organization for Migration reports that migrant arrivals to Europe by sea have dropped by over a third in 2026, but more than 2,200 people have died or disappeared on increasingly dangerous journeys. The decline comes amid tougher migration policies, though images from Spain's Ceuta enclave continue to fuel far-right support across the EU.
At least one person has died and 25 remain missing after a boat carrying migrants partially sank off the southern Greek island of Gavdos near Crete. Greek coast guard rescued 51 people, with survivors reporting approximately 77 people were aboard the vessel.
Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Greece agreed on a common model for deportation centers in non-EU countries where rejected asylum seekers would be sent. The countries aim to negotiate agreements with partner nations by early 2027, though specific host countries have not been disclosed.
Morocco has reinforced security along its borders with the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla following social media calls for mass migrant crossings, raising concerns of a repeat of last month's surge when tens of thousands rushed the border. Spain's Civil Guard has stated the border will remain closed.
Latvia announced the discovery of a tunnel under its border with Belarus on Tuesday and vowed to combat people smuggling networks that authorities say are facilitating a growing number of illegal border crossings.
Nikita and Olga Belov, a Russian family who engaged in pro-Ukrainian activism, have been repeatedly denied asylum in Finland and now face deportation despite concerns they could face arrest, imprisonment, or torture upon return to Russia.
Spain announced it will establish border controls on all flights and ships from Italy from midnight Saturday until September 7, retaliating after Rome imposed similar measures following a mass influx of tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco into Spain's North African territory of Ceuta.
European law enforcement arrested three Syrian nationals suspected of leading migrant-smuggling networks in a coordinated operation involving 240 officers across Germany and Serbia. The networks allegedly smuggled more than 900 migrants along Mediterranean and Balkan routes.
Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta is requesting the transfer of hundreds of unaccompanied migrant minors to mainland Spain following an unprecedented surge of approximately 72,000 migrants who crossed from Morocco in one week. The crisis has sparked diplomatic tensions, with Morocco blaming a Spanish court ruling and Spain accusing Morocco of facilitating the mass crossing.
Italy imposed border controls on Spain after approximately 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta in a single day. Spain deployed military forces and reported that 48,000 migrants had voluntarily returned to Morocco, while Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez criticized Italy's response as 'selfish' and demanded an EU meeting.
Tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta over Thursday and Friday in a massive border breach, resulting in at least 67 deaths from drownings and stampedes. Spain responded by deploying military forces and installing a 500-meter containment barrier along the sea border.
Immigrant employment in the European Union rose to a record high in 2025, narrowing the gap with native-born workers but still leaving significant labor potential untapped, according to a report from the ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin.
Latvian soldiers used tear gas and fired one warning shot into the air after five or more migrants attempting to enter from Belarus acted aggressively and threw logs toward troops, according to the Latvian army. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said attempted crossings had recently doubled, without providing exact figures, and described the situation as a hybrid threat.
The European Union has issued an ultimatum to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, demanding they phase out their citizenship-by-investment programs by June 2028 or face the loss of visa-free travel to the Schengen zone.
The European Union has issued an ultimatum to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, demanding they phase out their citizenship-by-investment programs by June 1, 2028, or face the loss of visa-free travel to the Schengen zone.
More than one million undocumented immigrants in Spain applied for legal status under a mass regularization scheme that launched in April 2026, with the application window closing on June 30. The program grants eligible applicants the right to live and work in the country, defying broader European trends toward stricter immigration enforcement.
A Taliban delegation met with European Union officials in Brussels for closed-door technical discussions focused on the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan, marking the first such meeting despite no EU country recognizing the Taliban government. The talks have drawn fierce criticism from rights groups and MEPs who warn against normalizing a regime that has banned girls' education beyond sixth grade.
The European Parliament passed controversial migration legislation permitting member states to establish detention centers outside EU borders and conduct home searches, with conservatives joining far-right groups to approve measures critics say weaken asylum protections.
Sweden's parliament has approved legislation enabling authorities to revoke residency permits based on criteria including unpaid debts, undeclared work, or links to extremist organizations, while also mandating public sector workers to report migrants not authorized to live in the country.
A major reform of European Union immigration and asylum rules enters into force on Friday, June 12, 2026, establishing new procedures for how all 27 member states handle irregular migration and asylum seekers. The changes, a decade in the making, allow countries to reduce protections for asylum-seekers and have drawn criticism from rights groups concerned that humanitarian considerations are being sidelined.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a D-Day commemoration speech in Normandy, France to attack European nations for allowing an 'invasion' of migrants, drawing criticism for politicizing the solemn anniversary.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a D-Day anniversary ceremony in France on Saturday to criticize European immigration policies, claiming Europe is being 'invaded' by migrants and drawing comparisons between wartime beach landings and contemporary immigration by sea.
The European Union has passed its strictest migration legislation to date, authorizing the establishment of migrant return hubs outside EU territory for processing deportations of asylum seekers denied the right to stay. The Netherlands has already given approval to establish such facilities, marking a significant hardening of Europe's migration policy.
Britain's ruling Labour Party faced significant defeats in local elections as Nigel Farage's anti-immigration Reform UK party made sweeping gains, marking one of Labour's worst election results in history. Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to remain in office despite the losses.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued new guidance implementing limits on federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for certain noncitizen populations, representing a significant policy shift in immigrant healthcare coverage.
Four people died attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat, with two men and two women swept away by currents while trying to board a dinghy off the French coast. A Sudanese man was arrested on suspicion of endangering life.
