The EU is one step closer to setting up offshore migrant centers after members of the European Parliament (MEPs) backed new legal rules. These changes would allow officials to deport asylum seekers to countries they have never lived in or even visited before.

MEPs also voted to establish an official EU list of "safe third countries," which includes Georgia, Turkey, Bangladesh, and Tunisia. Human rights groups have spoken out against this move. The votes were supported by a coalition of center-right and far-right politicians, signaling a shift in the political balance of the European Parliament.

Supporters say these measures will help stop people-smuggling operations. However, critics, including the International Rescue Committee, warn that the policy could force vulnerable people into countries where they face a real risk of abuse.