Over 600 Nigeriens have been forcibly deported from Libya on a perilous journey through the Sahara desert, raising alarm over the risk of trafficking and the broader inhumane treatment of migrants linked to European Union (E.U.) migration policies. This mass expulsion, the largest of its kind, exposes how the E.U., through its agreements with Libya, puts migrants at risk of exploitation, violence and even death.

A policy built on outsourcing suffering

These agreements have provided funding and support for Libya to intercept migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean. They also incentivize expulsions to avoid Mediterranean crossings in the first place.

According to The Guardian,

“The expulsions come as E.U. countries have been accused of ignoring the widespread and systematic human rights violations and abuses against migrants in Libya as they seek to reduce the number of people arriving in Europe, with Italy signing deals with Tunisia and Libya to reduce Mediterranean crossings.”

Just last year, the U.N. reported on how dangerous crossing the Sahara could be. Migrants face extreme risks, including kidnapping, organ harvesting and exploitation by smugglers or traffickers.

David Yambio, spokesperson for Refugees in Libya, points a finger at the E.U.:

“This is Europe’s border policy laid bare, outsourcing mass expulsion and death to Libya, where the desert becomes a graveyard. Leaders like [Viktor] Orbán, [Giorgia] Meloni, or Trump applaud such efficient cruelty. It’s no accident; it’s the design. The E.U. pays to erase migrants, to make suffering invisible, and to wash its hands while others do its dirty work.”

Read more