Starmer unveils plan to send failed asylum seekers to overseas ‘return hubs’

Starmer reveals plan for foreign 'return hubs' for failed UK asylum seekers

Albania rules out participation in controversial scheme during Prime Minister’s visit

TIRANA, Albania — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to establish overseas “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers during a high-profile visit to Albania, only to be publicly rebuffed by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who stated that his country would not participate in the initiative.

The proposal, which involves transferring asylum seekers who have been refused the right to remain in the UK to third countries, aims to tackle the growing backlog of deportations. These individuals, according to Downing Street, have exhausted all legal avenues but remain in the country due to documentation issues or appeals based on personal circumstances such as family ties.

Albania rejects role in UK’s proposed scheme

Speaking at a joint press conference in Tirana, Rama confirmed Albania had no intention of hosting UK-operated detention or return centres, citing an exclusive agreement with Italy that already involves two such facilities on Albanian territory.

“We have been asked by several countries if we were open to it and we said no, because we are loyal to the marriage with Italy and the rest is just love,” Rama said, referencing Italy’s arrangement to process asylum claims offshore.

Starmer’s announcement comes amid record levels of illegal migration across the English Channel, with over 12,000 small boat crossings recorded in 2025 so far — a number that puts the year on track to surpass previous records.

Despite Rama’s remarks, Starmer defended the trip and policy unveiling, stating that the return hubs initiative was aimed at addressing what he called “stalling tactics” used by some failed asylum applicants.

“What now we want to do and are having discussions of, talks of, is return hubs,” Starmer told GB News. “Where someone has been through the system in the UK, they need to be returned and we have to make sure they’re returned effectively.”

Policy faces criticism and political blowback

Conservative critics seized on Rama’s comments as a diplomatic embarrassment for Starmer. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp labeled the visit “an embarrassment,” arguing that the UK had failed to secure cooperation with a key prospective partner.

“This trip is an embarrassment. Starmer jetted off and now the Albanian prime minister has made clear that there will be no UK return hubs in Albania. So, what was the point of this entire visit?” Philp said.

Meanwhile, Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, expressed concern about the return hubs concept, warning it may erode compliance and fuel fear among vulnerable populations.

“Threatening to detain people in countries they’ve never set foot in causes fear and panic,” Solomon said. “It’s clear that the most effective returns systems are not punitive but orderly and humane.”

Broader EU context and UN endorsement

Despite domestic controversy, the return hub model has gained traction across Europe. The EU recently endorsed the idea, and countries such as the Netherlands are negotiating third-country agreements — including one with Uganda — to manage rejected asylum seekers outside their borders.

The United Nations refugee agency has also signaled support for third-country return hubs, a notable contrast to its opposition to the UK’s now-defunct Rwanda deportation plan, which was deemed unlawful by British courts.

Downing Street said discussions with “several European partners” are ongoing but declined to name any specific countries aside from ruling out Albania following Rama’s comments. The Prime Minister’s office maintained that the trip to Albania was still a “relevant and productive” stop as part of a wider push on migration reform.

Starmer’s team characterized the return hubs as a cost-saving and operationally sound alternative to endless appeals and stalled deportation efforts, with a spokesperson noting the hubs would be used only for individuals who have been fully processed and denied asylum.

“Return hubs are targeted at failed asylum seekers who have exhausted all legal routes to remain in the UK but are currently here, costing millions of taxpayers,” the spokesperson said.

As migration pressures intensify and 2028 election speculation grows, Starmer’s handling of immigration policy is set to remain under scrutiny — both from his party’s left wing and from opposition figures pressing for harder-line responses to border enforcement.

Stay tuned to The Horizons Times for the latest developments on UK immigration policy and international diplomatic responses.