When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen laid out the priorities for her next term in office, she said she would triple the number of Frontex officials to 30,000 and equip them with "state-of-the art technology."

The European Union's decision to strengthen the border agency comes as immigration remains high and as calls by member states to process asylum applications in third countries grow. In addition, Russia is suspected of pushing migrants into the EU through shared borders or via regional allies.

Soon after the announcement in July, Frontex followed up with tenders worth €400 million ($444 million) to buy drones, night goggles and other surveillance capabilities. 

"We use these tools to monitor irregular migration routes and detect cross-border crimes such as smuggling," Krzysztof Borowski , a Frontex spokesperson, told DW. "They are particularly useful because they provide real-time video feeds," he explained, adding that it allowed the agency to respond to a situation as it unfolds.

Borowski said the "operations are focused on key areas like the Central and Eastern Mediterranean, where irregular migration tends to be most active.’" 

But giving more men and material to the border management agency that has been engulfed in controversies has led to strong criticism from activists and NGOs.

They fear that more resources for Frontex could become instrumental in pushing migrants back into the hands of authoritarian regimes. 

Combating Russia's hybrid warfare

"Russia is luring migrants from Yemen up north and pushing them deliberately against the Finnish border," von der Leyen said in her July speech. "This is part of the reason why we must strengthen Frontex."

Last year, Finland accused Russia of weaponizing migration after an influx of migrants, including people from Syria and Somalia, entered the country. 

Back in 2021, Poland said Russia was orchestrating a migrant crisis on the EU's doorsteps on the Belarus-Poland border. 

In an interview with Russian state media last month, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko threatened the EU that he would let the migrants "go wherever they want," unless sanctions against him were lifted. 

Frontex's new drones and other surveillance equipment are expected to be deployed on land borders to help member states spot refugees on Russian territory.

But as far-right parties make more gains across Europe and centrist parties also begin to take a firmer stance against uncontrolled immigration, some activists fear the video intelligence gathered by drones may be used to stop them from setting foot in the EU in the first place. 

Far right strengthening Frontex? 

The Abolish Frontex campaign, which is comprised of several NGOs, said the rise of the far right and the shift of center and liberal parties toward the right has boosted support for Frontex. 

"Frontex is being strengthened by far-right anti-immigrant politics to stop migrants from reaching the EU so they don't have a chance to even apply for asylum which is a valid right," according to Josephine Valeske, a member of the group. "Frontex is getting the drones and more forces to push back the migrants."

In two separate letters in May and June, more than a dozen EU member states called on Ylva Johansson, EU home affairs commissioner, to step up the management of asylum-seekers. One of the letters said the bloc should shift focus, "from managing irregular migration in Europe" to supporting transit countries or "regions of origin."

Activsts warn of 'torture, slavery and death' 

Oliver Kulikowski, a spokesperson for Sea-Watch, a German humanitarian group operating in the Mediterranean Sea and commissioning ships to rescue migrants, said Frontex would likely use its aerial surveillance equipment to spot migrants and share their coordinates with "militias of the so-called Libyan coast guard." He said that once migrants would be back in Libya, they could be subjected to "torture, slavery and death," a claim substantiated by a UN-backed inquiry.

Amnesty International last year said returnees risked "arbitrary detention and torture," in Libya.

Borowski, of Frontex, explained that in a search-and-rescue situation, Frontex would usually alert the nearest rescue coordination centers regardless of where they are, Libya included. But he emphasized that while Frontex provided technology and support, "the decision-making for interventions or rescue operations lies with the authorities on the ground or at sea."

Last year, the EU ombudsman investigated accusations against Frontex that it could have saved people who drowned after an incident off the Greek coast when the overcrowded Adriana vessel capsized. 

The inquiry concluded that, "current rules prevented Frontex from taking a more active role in the Adriana incident," and that it is "dependent on the actions of Member States to uphold its fundamental rights obligations and its duty to save lives."

But it also suggested that if Frontex engaged in transfers of surveillance techniques and of related capacity building to non-EU countries with poor human rights records or systemic human rights abuses, "a prior assessment of the human rights impact should always be carried out."

Drones to save lives 

Activists contend drone footage should ideally be used by civic agencies to rescue people stuck at sea. They said Frontex's assurances that it was trying to save people were empty. 

In a 2022 report, Human Rights Watch said Frontex was complicit in abuse in Libya and that its guarantees rang hollow, "as long as the border agency doesn't use the technology and information at its disposal to ensure that people are rescued promptly and can disembark at safe ports."

The UN's International Organization for Migration recorded the highest death toll in a decade last year, and said more than 8000 people died on migration routes, more than half as a result of drowning. 

Edited by: Andreas Illmer

Correction, September 6, 2024: An earlier version of this article gave the incorrect title for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. DW apologizes for the error.