The European Union plans to deport as many as 400,000 migrants back to their home countries within weeks, according to a leaked government document allegedly obtained by the London Times.
The migrants who have been flooding mainland EU countries in recent months will be returned to Africa, Breaking News Israel said.
The document, whose authenticity has not been confirmed yet, did not clearly indicate if refugees from war-torn countries like Syria and Afghanistan would be included in the initial batch of migrants who would be returned to their home country.
The document did state that the goal of the new policy is "to end the migrant flow altogether, rather than deal with the causes,'' Breaking News Israel said.
Under the "Action Plan on Return,'' the EU's border agency Frontex will establish a new unit to assist with deportations.
The document said: "While member states are primarily responsible for carrying out returns, the immediate creation of a dedicated return office within Frontext should enable it to scale up its support to facilitate, organise and fund return operations.''
Proposals in the document also include detaining thousands of failed asylum seekers to stop them from absconding to avoid deportation. Brussels will also reportedly withdraw aid, trade deals and visa arrangements from African countries refusing to take back economic migrants under the plan, reports said.
The document also calls on EU members to become more active in pursuing deportations, and to take greater care to identify and deport illegal migrant.
"Increased return rates should act as a deterrent to irregular migration,'' the leaked report said, according to Breaking News Israel.
"Member states must systematically issue return decisions, take all necessary steps to enforce them and provide adequate resources, necessary for identifying and returning illegally staying third-country nationals," it added.
The leaked report stressed: "EU member nations that fail to enforce internationally agreed refugee rule by deporting 'irregular migrants' would face legal action from the European Commission,'' the London Times said.
More than 400,000 asylum seekers who have entered the EU are expected to have their claims for refugee status rejected.
EU home office ministers will discuss the draft plans at a summit in Luxembourg this week, according to the Times.
