AI technologies have become the European Union’s latest tool in managing migration, raising profound legal and ethical concerns. From the Greek-Turkish land border along the Evros River to the coasts of Calais and the English Channel, the EU is funding a vast array of AI-driven technologies, including drones, thermal imaging cameras, biometric systems and comprehensive surveillance networks.
These efforts, branded as “smart borders” and “smart migration management”, reflect a growing reliance on technology to deter migration. However, this shift prioritises control over protecting migrants’ fundamental rights.
Central to this strategy is the “externalization of borders”, where border controls are outsourced and fortified beyond the EU’s immediate frontiers. This involves equipping and training authorities in third countries to halt migration flows far from Europe’s borders.
Greece, a critical entry point into the EU, exemplifies this trend. Its borders are reinforced with advanced technologies, such as drones, motion detection systems and biometric scanners, all integrated into a sprawling surveillance infrastructure.
At the Evros land border, automated systems track and respond to migrant movements even before they step onto EU soil. Greek authorities, leveraging AI systems, coordinate with Turkish counterparts to intercept and deport refugees, often under conditions shielded from public oversight. Drones and automated data collection operate in secrecy, enabling violations with impunity and further curtailing migrants’ rights.
💥#NEW: Drones. Thermal cameras. Surveillance towers that can see 20 km away.
A months-long investigation by @g_christides @katymfallon @SchmitzFlorian_ @marguerite_jay @Hibai_ reveals how the EU uses AI technology toward the people seeking refuge in it.https://t.co/qq32J5txah
— Solomon (@we_are_solomon) January 17, 2025
These technologies, while marketed as tools for enhancing border security and efficiency, come at a high cost to privacy and the right to asylum.
This cross-border investigation documents systemic abuses, including the mass collection of biometric data and the confiscation and analysis of migrants’ mobile phones — practices often conducted without due process or informed consent. Such measures signify a broader shift across Europe: prioritising deterrence over the protection of human rights, with Greece at the forefront of this troubling trend.
Journalists and human rights activists have long criticized these “AI pushbacks”. While taxpayer-funded technologies could be used to ensure border transparency and accountability, the information they gather remains tightly controlled by national authorities.
Along the Balkan route, this secrecy underscores a fundamental challenge in EU migration policy: the persistent divide between Brussels and individual member states over migration management.
The deployment of AI-based technologies extends beyond Greece. France and Britain use drones to monitor migrant movements, while Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees employs four AI-driven systems in its asylum process. These include automated dialect recognition, intelligent analysis of asylum applications, mass data extraction from mobile phones and automated name generation.
However, these technologies, despite their high costs, often yield limited results and infringe upon the privacy and rights of refugees.
Switzerland, though not an EU member, also plays a significant role. As a Schengen member, it contributes financially to EU border operations and collaborates with Frontex.
Known for its innovation ecosystem, Switzerland supports AI development by publicly funding start-ups and academic institutions. Yet, its image as a politically neutral hub is complicated by its hosting of companies like Palantir Technologies, a key player in AI-powered border surveillance that has facilitated the interception and illegal repatriation of refugees.
These findings are the result of an extensive investigation by six journalists, combining field research across nine countries, over 100 interviews with policymakers, activists and refugees, and the review of thousands of pages of documents and contracts and countless freedom-of-information requests.
The investigation sheds light on the opaque and troubling practices underpinning the EU’s migration management strategy, emphasising the urgent need for accountability and respect for human rights in the face of advancing technology.