The number was revealed by Minister Antônio Leitão Amaro and reported in Diário de Notícias.

"Portugal appeared in the report because that was the past and reported reality, as it processed 400 returns per year. This meant being the country in Europe that processed the fewest returns. That's what the old statistics said. In the year 2025, look at the difference: we went from 400 to 23,000, we moved into the top six or top seven in that report," he explained.

The baseline data used in Brussels was collected up to June of this year and is therefore outdated in relation to the country's new migration policy. Leitão Amaro stated that he explained to the European Commission that Portugal is experiencing "a change in situation," with an increase in returns and a decrease in asylum applications, among other things.

This data will be analysed by Brussels to define Portugal's position in refugee reception policies within the solidarity mechanism. "The European Commission had ended its analysis period in June. We are now working constructively with the Commission so that, within the flexibility mechanisms allowed by the rules, Portugal's changing situation can be accommodated," he detailed. "We need mechanisms that, to be credible, are applied to real situations," he added.

According to Antonio Leitão Amaro, this is not the only change in the scenario. Analysing the more than 400,000 expressions of interest, "very significant secondary movements" were detected, citing the number of "20,000 in recent years," without specifying the period. Until now, Portugal was not considered a secondary movement country, a situation in which a person has an application rejected in one EU member state and then moves to another. “These elements are relevant for the purposes of the European assessment, and could lead to a declaration of migratory pressure or, alternatively, to the derogation of placement obligations,” he stressed. Therefore, Portugal's situation will continue to be analysed, which, according to the minister, justified the vote against the final report on the mechanism.

Lack of capacity

Another point highlighted by Leitão Amaro is the reception situation. Portugal has a capacity for 300 people, but has more than eight thousand pending applications. “Another legacy of the past is the lack of reception capacity,” he said, adding that the European Commission “has drawn attention to this several times.”

Regarding the capacity for return placements, the current number of available spaces is 86. “Consider this example: Portugal has approximately 20,000 returns pending. Do you know the current capacity of the temporary accommodation centres where people are placed upon return? Eighty-six. Why? Because for years there has been no expansion,” he criticised.

Two new temporary accommodation centres will be built in 2026. Until then, according to the minister, "transitional solutions" are being studied to house detained immigrants in Portugal. One of these solutions could involve "making use of an existing building," he said during the presentation of the new proposal to accelerate the return of immigrants.

"Between some temporary expansion of existing units and the use of a building that can be converted, [we are seeking] a faster readjustment, respecting rights," he said. The goal is to create more spaces to receive these people while the two new planned centers are not completed.