Immigration: Migration policy news in Portugal

AIMA cuts migrant backlog

portugal decoded15 May

Two developments in EU migration law

Commission wants to expand Frontex powers beyond EU borders

The proposed revision of the mandate for the agency that monitors the EU's external borders opens the door to its intervention in migrant return processes outside of European territory.

Portugal exceeds European benchmark for places within ‘Temporary Accommodation Centres’

Portugal has opened a new wing at the Porto Temporary Accommodation Centre (CIT), bringing total capacity for irregular migrants to 171—exceeding the European benchmark of 102. Minister for Interior Administration The post Portugal exceeds European benchmark for places within ‘Temporary Accommodation Centres’ appeared first on Portugal Resident.

Frontex suspends reintegration program after blowing through its budget

The pause comes ahead of a proposed expansion of the EU border agency's role in returns, sharpening questions over how Brussels will fund its tougher deportation policy.

Montenegro defended the EU Migration and Asylum Pact in Split as a response to the crisis in Ceuta.

Montenegro advocates for the EU Migration and Asylum Pact during the summit in Split, noting that Portugal will lead the group of southern European countries in 2027.

Facebook9 Oct

Funding for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund increases by 45%

Funds allocated to the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund will increase by 45 percent in 2027 compared to 2026, which was the year with the lowest value in this phase of the EU programme.

“We are losing the best people” on the route to Europe: 15 years of NovAfrica

The Nova SBE centre has accumulated experience in Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and The Gambia, among others. The results contradict the direction of European migration policies. Cátia Batista and Pedro Vicente, the centre's founders, take stock in an interview with Expresso.

Unacceptable

To resolve the chaos in the city, some will be deported, while others will enter the Schengen area.

Morocco assures the EU it will accept the return of all migrants who entered Ceuta

Negotiators from all European Parliament groups - with the exception of the far-right - had planned to meet this afternoon to try to move forward with a joint text regarding the crisis in Ceuta

Rangel criticises measures with a 'pull factor' for migrants in Ceuta

Paulo Rangel, speaking during a parliamentary hearing at the European Affairs Committee, was alluding to the extraordinary regularisation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants promoted by the Spanish government.

Asylum applications plummet across EU as governments push for deportation hubs

“Europe’s new migration policy is delivering results,” said Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner.

There is an elephant in the room that the Spanish government does not want to discuss, which is the role of Morocco

Legal expert Gonçalo Dorotea Cevada analyses the situation in Ceuta and how Europe can deal with the arrival of migrants.

Migration: Much more than just arriving in Europe

According to United Nations data, the global estimate for mid-2024 stands at approximately 304 million international migrants, representing 3.7% of the world's population. While migration is a central topic in European political debate, the data shows that most migration occurs within regions or between neighbouring countries, rather than towards Europe. The article highlights that the majority of the world's refugees are hosted by low- and middle-income countries, and argues that addressing the root causes of migration—such as poverty, inequality, and climate change—is essential for a long-term, effective policy.

Migration in today's chaotic world

Beyond the physical walls that have been built, the walls of indifference, cruelty, political hypocrisy, and pure malice have become normalised today. Opinion piece by Paulo Pisco.

Sweden has also started transferring illegal migrants to Italy

Sweden has decided to transfer illegal migrants to Italy under the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum, following in the footsteps of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Finland.

Ceuta authorities move thousands of migrants to temporary shelters

Thousands of migrants who were homeless on Trampolín beach and in the Loma Colmenar area of Ceuta began being moved to temporary shelters this Thursday (20 August). According to El País, spaces were made available to initially accommodate 1,800 migrants, with the Spanish government stating the transfers are taking place voluntarily. The operation is being coordinated by state security forces and the Ceuta government to provide housing alternatives for those sleeping in public spaces or on the beach. Migrants were grouped by language to be informed of the process, with reports of relief as they were moved to facilities such as Loma Margarita. This follows a major migration crisis in late July, during which approximately 72,000 people entered the Spanish autonomous city in 24 hours, with most having since returned to Morocco.

Reinforcements sent back to Ceuta to prevent another mass migration

CNN Portugal reporter Helena Lins is in Ceuta and explains the measures taken by the Spanish government to prevent a new migration crisis in the region.

Deepening routes: the evolving Pak-Portugal partnership

The Express Tribune14 Aug

Migrant deaths in the Mediterranean have tripled

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that migrant deaths in the Central Mediterranean doubled and tripled in the Eastern Mediterranean during the first four months of 2026 compared to the previous year, despite a significant drop in arrivals to Europe. The report highlights that while migration routes are shifting due to stricter border controls, the risks of death, exploitation, and trafficking remain high, particularly as departure points move to more remote and dangerous areas.

The basics

In a public debate, the most useful contribution of the Social Sciences is to provide concepts, evidence, and analytical criteria that allow for the discussion of real disagreements with greater rigour and less simplification.

Ceuta, an open city

11,000 people remain on the beaches and streets of Ceuta, who cannot be 'returned'.

Rwanda in negotiations to receive migrants deported from European countries

The Rwandan government announced this Friday that “preliminary discussions” have begun with several European countries to serve as a transit country for deported migrants.

7am Europe's migration policies put to the test

An analysis of the challenges currently facing European migration policies.

PM: Portugal offers integration, not open-door migration

North Africa has always been a transit zone; the problem is not its original citizens, but those from Sub-Saharan Africa

José van der Kellen, former deputy director of the SEF, appeared on CNN Prime Time to explain the migration flows heading towards Europe.

Morocco tested a Europe that does not know itself

Europe lacks accurate data on the number of people entering, leaving, or residing within its borders, relying instead on porous legal systems and fragmented records. This structural ignorance, rather than just political opportunism, is the core issue behind the continent's failing migration policy. The author argues that the EU must move beyond fragmented databases and implement a unified, interoperable, and biometric registration system. Such a system is presented not as a far-right security fantasy, but as a necessary prerequisite for a functional, humanist migration policy that can effectively manage labour market needs, public services, and social integration, ultimately countering the rise of populism.

The leap

In less than two days, over 60,000 people entered Ceuta, a city of 84,000 inhabitants. A misinterpretation of a Spanish Supreme Court ruling on immediate returns, turned into a rumour by human trafficking networks and spread via Facebook and WhatsApp groups with the promise of open borders, was enough to trigger the event. Thousands set off swimming, without a plan or luggage. Dozens died. Almost everyone returned to Morocco within a few days, many by their own means. The episode says almost everything about our time: the growing pressure from the southern shore, the electoral sensitivity of European governments, and the power of real-time disinformation. It highlights that the natural flow of desperate people from Africa to exploitation in Europe cannot be normalised.