In a significant vote on March 26, 2026, the European Parliament approved a negotiating mandate for the updated Returns Regulation with 389 votes in favor, 206 against, and 32 abstentions. This decision paves the way for stricter deportation procedures for illegal migrants, including mandatory cooperation from returnees, extended detention periods of up to 24 months, broader entry bans, and the potential establishment of return hubs outside the EU. The measure was backed by a coalition of center-right and right-wing groups, including the European People’s Party (EPP), European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), Patriots for Europe, and Europe of Sovereign Nations, signaling a notable shift in Brussels' approach to migration enforcement. Official European Parliament records confirm the vote followed debates in the Civil Liberties Committee, where EPP collaborated with more nationalist factions to advance the text. EPP figures like Manfred Weber emphasized delivering on citizens' expectations for decisive action against those without legal right to remain. Meanwhile, ECR's Charlie Weimers hailed it as 'the era of deportations has begun,' highlighting the inclusion of external return hubs previously criticized in cases like the UK's Rwanda plan. Human rights organizations have expressed strong opposition. Amnesty International described the move as advancing 'punitive detention and deportation plans,' warning of weakened rights protections and risks to vulnerable groups. The European Council on Refugees and Exile (ECRE) noted the EPP's alignment with far-right groups like AfD and National Rally as a regression from fundamental rights standards. Le Monde and Euronews reported on the applause from right-wing MEPs and concerns over 'return hubs' creating legal black holes. This development represents more than procedural reform; it mainstreams elements of 'remigration' discourse—once limited to heterodox thinkers concerned with demographic replacement and cultural preservation—into EU legislative frameworks. By shifting from pure asylum management to systematic returns and minimum harmonization favoring national control, the vote indicates the European right's growing leverage in reshaping policy amid persistent low return rates (around 20%) and public pressure. As trilogue negotiations begin, this could accelerate broader adoption of enforcement-first strategies across member states, connecting long-marginalized ideas on reversing unsustainable migration patterns to concrete governance outcomes.