EU Countries Finally Reach Historic Deal on Migration, Aiming to Curb Asylum Seeker Flow and Cut Numbers

European Union countries have reached a major deal to overhaul their joint migration system after three years of negotiations. The agreement, named the European Union migration and asylum pact, aims to address rising anti-migrant sentiment and give governments more control over their borders. It seeks to make it easier to deport failed asylum seekers, limit entry of migrants, and distribute migrants more evenly across the bloc. The deal has drawn criticism from human rights organizations for trampling on fundamental rights and lacking adequate protections for asylum seekers. The plan must still pass through the European Union's approval process to become law.