(LifeSiteNews) — The European Parliament is set to vote on new legislation intended to substantially increase the rate of returns for illegal migrants who have entered European countries.

The proposal includes aggressive provisions such as the creation of deportation or return processing centers located outside the European Union, the possibility of detaining migrants for periods of up to two years, and the authorization of home raids.

Some non-governmental organizations opposing the bill have characterized such measures to practices employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs approved a version of the text on Monday that received backing from center-right, right-wing, and far-right political groups. The roll call included 41 in favor, 32 against and 1 abstention.

This shift of the more centrist European People’s Party (EPP) to vote with the conservative parties has disrupted the Parliament’s traditional centrist majority, leaving left-wing minorities opposing the bill, which now awaits a vote by the full Parliament.

‘We need action now in the fight against irregular migration’

François-Xavier Bellamy, the lead negotiator for the EPP, accused the Socialists of failing to engage in the process and refusing to accept the fundamental principles of the law. Speaking to journalists after the vote, he stated: “We need action now in the fight against irregular migration, as only 20% of return decisions issued across Europe are actually implemented.”

For their part, leftist groups criticized the bill. Greens MEP Mélissa Camara told Euronews that the text “adopted reflects a racist and populist ideology. It will endanger people’s lives and violate their dignity,” additionally claiming that it breaches “basic principles of the rule of law.”

The measure would introduce mutual recognition of return decisions among EU member states, requiring decisions issued in one country to be applied in others, while also simplifying and accelerating the overall return procedure for migrants.

The legislation would additionally permit EU member states to return illegal migrants to third countries unrelated to their country of origin, provided these EU countries have concluded bilateral agreements with a non-EU state allowing for the establishment of detention facilities – referred to as “return hubs” – on that third country’s territory.

Bishop Schneider: mass immigration an ‘orchestrated’ attack upon Christian Europe

Last August, Bishop Marian Eleganti told LifeSiteNews that the Christian West was eradicating itself through abortion, low birth rates, and mass migration.

“We have a reproduction rate of 1.2 everywhere in every country, give or take a few,” the former auxiliary bishop of the Swiss diocese of Chur said, referring to the low birth rates in Europe.

“It’s inevitable that we will cease to exist in two or three generations,” he said warning that this mass immigration “will destroy culture, traditional culture, and above all, for us, the Christian values that have contributed so much to humanizing societies.”

And referring to increased vandalism against churches and violent attacks on the continent, largely perpetrated by illegal Muslim immigrants, the bishop emphasized, “nothing better will come of it if we set fire to churches and knock over saints and defile them with paint and so on. Nothing better will come of it.”

READ: Europe experiences surge in violent attacks, arsons as anti-Christian hatred intensifies

Such warnings have also been issued by Bishop Athanasius Schneider throughout the years.

In 2018, the auxiliary bishop of Kazakhstan said “the phenomenon of so-called ‘immigration’ represents an orchestrated and long-prepared plan by international powers to radically change the Christian and national identities of the European peoples.”

The Church, he said, is being exploited.

“These powers use the Church’s enormous moral potential and her structures to more effectively achieve their anti-Christian and anti-European goal,” he stated. “To this end they are abusing the true concept of humanism and even the Christian commandment of charity.”

‘Remigration’ the only solution

In response to these ongoing tensions, last September, Elon Musk called for “remigration” as a solution to the U.K.’s migrant crisis, stating earlier that Europe will “die out” if birth rates do not increase.

“Remigration” is a term popularized by patriotic organizations around Europe that advocate for deporting migrants back to their home countries, a concept deemed “far-right” by the mainstream media.

These organizations also say that globalist elites are deliberately using mass migration in conjunction with low birth rates to replace native European populations with foreigners.

In an effort to concretely address these growing concerns, British MP Rupert Lowe launched a new political party in the U.K. last month called “Restore Britain” emphasizing a Christian and civilizationally-restorative political stance, including support for mass deportations of illegal immigrants.

The day after the launch, Lowe stated on X: “Britain is a Christian country, and under a Restore Britain government – it will remain a Christian country.”

RELATED:

Christmas markets now need anti-tank barriers as mass migration reshapes European life

EXCLUSIVE: Restore Britain party spokesman says mass immigration is ‘anti-Christian’

Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon decry mass migration after recent attack in Ireland

Bishop: Mass migration part of plan to water down Europe’s Christian identity

Elon Musk calls for ‘remigration’ to address UK migrant crisis

Poland demands Vatican dismiss two bishops over sermons against illegal immigration