In a harrowing journey, François, a 38-year-old Cameroonian migrant, found himself jumping off a pickup truck near the barren Algerian frontier. Only a day earlier, he, along with his wife and stepson, had been intercepted by the Tunisian coast guard while attempting a dangerous sea crossing to Europe. Now, he and a group of 30 other migrants, including two pregnant women, were facing a grim punishment—being left to navigate the unforgiving desert. François’s ordeal, captured through his phone’s GPS and his recordings, highlights the severe tactics employed by at least three North African nations to deter sub-Saharan migrants from attempting to reach Europe.
These aggressive measures, often targeting Black migrants, are quietly supported by the European Union. A comprehensive year-long investigation by The Washington Post, Lighthouse Reports, and other international media outlets reveals how the EU and individual European countries are funding and aiding these harsh operations. European funds have been utilized to train local personnel and equip units implicated in the desert dumps and other human rights abuses. Migrants are frequently abandoned in inhospitable areas, subjected to extortion, torture, and, in the worst cases, death.
Evidence shows that Spain’s security forces in Mauritania have been involved in photographing and processing migrants before driving them to Mali, where they are left to fend for themselves in areas plagued by violence. Similar operations in Tunisia and Morocco have been documented through verified images, migrant testimonies, and official interviews. Vehicles matching those provided by European nations have been used to round up and transport Black migrants from urban areas to remote regions.
The European Union, under its own laws and international treaties, is supposed to ensure its funds are used in ways that respect human rights. However, the European Commission has admitted that human rights assessments are not always conducted for migrant management projects abroad. The EU’s monitoring and accountability mechanisms are often opaque, with senior officials conceding that it is nearly impossible to regulate all uses of the funding.
In January, Ylva Johansson, the EU Commissioner for Migration, acknowledged reports of desert dumps in Tunisia but denied that the EU was sponsoring such mistreatment. Despite these denials, internal EU documents and UN reports have flagged the abusive practices since at least 2019.
Between 2015 and 2021, the EU allocated over 400 million euros to Tunisia, Morocco, and Mauritania under its largest migration fund, the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. Additional funding has been offered to these countries to further curb migration. For example, in response to a surge in irregular migration last year, the EU pledged an extra 105 million euros to Tunisia and 210 million euros to Mauritania.
Investigations into these practices included firsthand observations, analysis of visual evidence, geospatial mapping, and interviews with 50 migrants who experienced these harsh conditions. Many migrants agreed to speak only under the condition of anonymity to avoid retribution.
In Tunisia, for instance, 11 incidents of desert dumps involving up to 90 migrants each were verified, including a recent case near the borders with Libya and Algeria. The United Nations reported at least 29 deaths and dozens of missing persons following these expulsions.
The European Union has consistently maintained that its aid aims to combat human trafficking and protect migrants’ rights. However, the reality on the ground paints a different picture. Migrants have been subjected to forced relocations, arbitrary arrests, and racial profiling. In Morocco, for example, migrants with refugee status have been detained and expelled despite holding legal documentation.
The investigation underscores a grim reality: the EU’s migration policies are contributing to severe human rights violations. The tactics employed aim to deter migrants by making their journeys so arduous and perilous that they abandon attempts to reach Europe. This approach has profound ethical and humanitarian implications, raising critical questions about the responsibility and morality of such policies. As Europe grapples with its migration challenges, the human cost of these measures continues to mount, casting a dark shadow over the continent’s commitment to human rights.