Far-Right Gathering in Portugal Discusses Remigration Concept

A gathering of far-right activists convened in the coastal city of Figueira da Foz, Portugal, this weekend for a summit centered on proposals to remove or return migrants to their countries of origin. Around 500 participants, including figures linked to Germany’s Alternative for Germany and Spain’s Vox, attended the event. American participants were also present.

Attendees cited U.S. immigration policy language as contributing to the concept’s increased visibility. A September 2024 social media post used the term in reference to returning illegal migrants to their home countries. A September 2025 address to the United Nations General Assembly warned that European countries were being affected by migration and called for an end to open borders policies.

The State Department has proposed establishing an Office of Remigration as part of a reorganization plan aimed at facilitating migrant returns.

The event was co-organized by an Austrian activist associated with Europe’s Identitarian movement. A politician from Germany’s Alternative for Germany attended as a listener, while lawmakers from Vox and other Alternative for Germany figures were listed among speakers. Journalists were restricted from entering the venue, while invited influencers were granted access.

Participants linked the concept’s rising profile to shifts in U.S. rhetoric on immigration enforcement and deportation policy.