A contentious rule enabling member states to deport asylum seekers to "safe" third countries outside the EU was approved by the European Parliament on Tuesday by a vote of 396–226. Importantly, if a bilateral agreement is in place, migrants can now be transported to nations with which they have no prior ties or have only passed through. Human rights organizations and Green lawmakers caution that several countries labeled "safe" like Tunisia and Morocco have documented histories of migrant mistreatment, despite center and far-right lawmakers' claims that this will reduce illegal immigration. As a component of a larger "Pact on Migration and Asylum," the policy is anticipated to go into effect in June 2026.