Greece has begun detaining men arriving from Libya and is refusing to process their asylum claims, as the government declares a “state of emergency” and clamps down on what it calls an ongoing migrant “invasion.” The move marks a sharp escalation in Greek migration policy amid mounting pressure on its southern islands.
By effectively “shutting the door” to North African men, the Greek parliament says it is sending a message both to Brussels—accused of failing to enforce EU border controls—and to the thousands of new arrivals hoping to claim asylum. Around 10,000 migrants reached Crete earlier this week, leaving the island’s infrastructure overwhelmed.
Migration Minister Thanos Plevris announced that all new arrivals would be detained and deported. “Anyone who comes will be detained and returned… Anyone who enters Greek territory over the next three months knows they are violating Greek law,” he said.
In a break with standard EU asylum procedures, the Greek government is now barring arrivals from moving freely. Previously, migrants often entered towns from the beaches and travelled onwards through the Schengen zone.
The shift comes amid growing use of Crete as a trafficking route, following a 2023 returns deal between Italy and Libya that made landings in southern Italy more difficult. The European Commission has said it will examine whether the new Greek measures are legally compatible with EU law.
