Britain’s Labour government is considering plans to send failed asylum seekers to detention centres in the Balkans in a bid to curb illegal Channel crossings, The Times reported on Saturday.
Under the proposal, migrants whose asylum applications are rejected could be deported to “return hubs” in countries such as Serbia, Bosnia, Albania, and North Macedonia, the newspaper said.
The plan — criticised by rights groups — would see the UK pay Balkan nations for each person deported, according to the report.
A government source told The Times the proposal aimed to explore “the widest possible set of options with a completely open mind.” Any scheme considered “would always need to meet the test of being affordable, workable, and legal,” the source said.
The move comes as UK Border Force intercepted around 5,000 migrants crossing the Channel in small boats since the start of 2025, a 24% rise from the same period last year.
The proposed Balkan centres could house rejected asylum seekers from countries the UK considers unsafe, such as Afghanistan and Iran. They could also temporarily hold those from nations deemed safe, such as Vietnam and India, The Times reported.
Albania, which currently has two empty migrant detention centres, could be among the first countries to host the return hubs. Italy had previously planned to use these facilities for processing migrants rescued in its waters, but the initiative was halted by court rulings.
Labour’s proposal has drawn criticism from rights groups, with Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, saying such measures were more about “sounding tough” than finding effective solutions.
“There needs to be a serious approach based on credible solutions,” Solomon told Metro. “Shipping people to places such as Albania to be detained in prison-like conditions is not only inhumane but unlikely to be effective.”
The proposal also echoes the previous Conservative government’s controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing — a scheme Labour scrapped upon taking office, calling it costly and ineffective.
However, Labour argues the Balkan plan differs because it would only apply to migrants whose claims have already been rejected, unlike the Rwanda scheme, which included those awaiting decisions. Moreover, the Balkan countries are viewed as safer destinations, the party says.
The European Commission has also advocated for the creation of similar “return hubs” in third countries, though rights groups argue the practice violates international law.
“We can likely expect more people being locked up in immigration detention centres across Europe, families separated, and people sent to countries they don’t even know,” said Silvia Carta of the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants.
