Hope, Resistance and Solidarity: Reflections from PICUM’s 2026 General Assembly 

At a time when migration policies across Europe are becoming increasingly restrictive, PICUM’s 2026 General Assembly brought together civil society organisations, activists, researchers and people with lived experience to reflect on the challenges ahead while sharing strategies and promising practices of resistance. This General Assembly was also an important opportunity to celebrate 25 years of PICUM, its network and its continuing commitment to human rights and social justice. 

This blog aims to capture key highlights from the assembly’s plenary sessions. 

The Return Regulation: a major threat to undocumented migrants’ rights 

A central focus of the General Assembly was the proposed EU Return Regulation, the EU’s flagship initiative to escalate deportations across the EU, which is now nearing the end of the legislative process. Presenting PICUM’s analysis, Silvia Carta warned that the Regulation would fundamentally reshape Europe’s deportation framework while significantly expanding states’ powers and weakening human rights safeguards. 

Among the most alarming elements is the expansion of immigration detention. The Regulation would allow detention periods to increase from the current maximum of 18 months to as much as 24 or even 30 months, while broadening the grounds on which people can be detained. Conditions such as homelessness, poverty or not having a fixed address could become factors leading to immigration detention, and children would not be exempt from these measures. 

The proposal also introduces new punitive measures, including stricter obligations to cooperate with deportation procedures, broader restrictions on movement, longer entry bans and expanded use of security-related exceptions that weaken procedural safeguards. 

At the same time, the Regulation would facilitate the externalisation of deportation through so-called «return hubs» established in third countries. Individuals and families could be transferred to countries where they have never set foot, raising serious concerns about human rights protections and accountability. 

Carta also highlighted how the Regulation risks producing more irregularity rather than reducing it. People renewing residence permits could become subject to deportation procedures, while access to residence permits and regularisation would become more restricted. 

Amandine Bach, adviser to the Left Group in the European Parliament, provided an update on the final stages of the negotiations. She highlighted how alliances between mainstream conservative parties and far-right political forces have played a key role in shaping and advancing the Regulation. 

Faced with this political reality, Bach argued that traditional advocacy alone is no longer sufficient. Instead, she called on civil society to invest in mobilisation, coalition-building, strategic litigation and media engagement. While these efforts may not stop the Regulation’s adoption, they have already influenced public debate and prompted some centrist and liberal political actors to abstain from the vote. 

Andrea Soler Eslava from Médecins du Monde explained that fear of immigration enforcement is already one of the main barriers preventing undocumented people from accessing healthcare. The proposed Regulation risks intensifying this fear, discouraging people from seeking medical assistance until emergencies occur. 

Medical professionals could also face growing pressure to participate in deportation procedures, undermining core ethical principles such as patient confidentiality and non-discrimination. The possibility of immigration raids in shelters, healthcare facilities and NGO premises would further erode trust between vulnerable communities and service providers. 

Revijara Oosterhuis from Dutch immigration detention watchdog Stichting LOS, analysed the impact of the Regulation on detention. Drawing on testimonies from detainees, she described detention as a prison-like environment characterised by uncertainty, isolation, inadequate healthcare, and limited communication with the outside world. 

As detention periods become longer and deportation infrastructure expands into third countries, monitoring abuses will become increasingly difficult. Oosterhuis stressed the need for transnational monitoring networks, stronger cooperation with journalists and civil society organisations, and accessible channels for people in detention to report violations.

Building resilience: from participation to public campaigns 

Alongside discussions of threats and challenges, the General Assembly also focused on how civil society can strengthen its own resilience in the current context. 

Speakers from CEPAIM, Asociación Por Ti Mujer, CIRE and ASTI emphasised that meaningful migrant participation is essential for ensuring their work is grounded in migrant communities’ needs . Migrants and undocumented people must have opportunities to shape policies, contribute to research, participate in advocacy and represent themselves in public debates. 

Building participation requires practical tools, training, political education and long-term investment in community organising. As several speakers noted, creating spaces for meaningful engagement takes time, but it is one of the most effective ways to challenge dehumanising narratives. 

Examples of innovative campaigns across Europe demonstrated the power of creativity and coalition-building in maximising social impact. PICUM and other NGOs worked with ice-cream company Ben and Jerry’s to raise awareness about the criminalisation of solidarity with migrants through a social media campaign led by content creators which reached hundreds of thousands of people across France, Germany and The Netherlands. 

In the UK, Migrants’ Rights Network cooperated with cosmetics brand Lush in a public awareness and fundraising campaign against racism. In the Netherlands, Here to Support referred to a unique campaign by civil society organisation De Goede Zaak which raised over 100,000€ in just four days by asking people to donate 3 € every time they heard or saw far-right politicians make negative comments about migrants. In France, in 2024, over 5,000 health professionals signed a joint declaration vowing to continue caring for all people, irrespective of status, despite a potential far right presidency in 2027.

Signs of hope 

We concluded our assembly with a «Good News» panel highlighting recent victories and lessons learned. 

In Switzerland, advocacy efforts have helped advance a proposal that would allow undocumented women to report violence without fear of immigration consequences. The proposal is currently awaiting approval by the Swiss higher chamber before being adopted by the government. 

In Spain, the grassroots movement Regularizacion Ya! was instrumental in securing a broad regularisation programme announced by the Spanish government in January. Civil society and migrant-led organisations are successfully supporting communities across the country during regularisation processes, ensuring that people can access assistance, gather relevant documentation and apply for a residence permit. 

In the Netherlands, a broad coalition of over 80 organisations, including churches, trade unions, medical professionals and NGOs, succeeded in resisting proposed measures to criminalise irregular stay. Through a combination of public campaigning, policy advocacy and coalition-building, civil society actors shifted the political conversation and demonstrated the importance of acting quickly and working with unexpected allies. 

These examples offered a powerful reminder that progress remains possible, even in difficult political contexts. Whether resisting harmful deportation policies, defending access to healthcare, supporting regularisation processes or building migrant leadership, PICUM members and the network continue to demonstrate the strength of collective action.