Trump reposted Thanos Plevris’ interview on migration

Trump reposted on Truth Social an interview given by Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum Thanos Plevris to Breitbart.

In the interview, the Greek migration minister argues that Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency has contributed to a shift in the political climate around irregular migration, both in the United States and Europe.

Thanos Plevris describes himself as a “Trump admirer” and says that one of the most significant changes following Trump’s return to the White House has been the adoption of a tougher approach to irregular migration.

According to Plevris, countries such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden have moved toward stricter policies, as public pressure for more effective border controls grows.

In his view, the change in the US approach has also created a more favorable political environment for European governments seeking to take a tougher stance on migration.

Plevris argues that a similar trend is also evident in Greece, citing opinion polls which, he says, show that a significant portion of the public either supports the government’s policy or favors even stricter measures.

“The message from our citizens is clear: enough,” he said.

At the same time, he describes the Mitsotakis government’s migration policy as “strict but fair,” with an emphasis on curbing irregular arrivals and increasing returns.

The minister also refers to the new legislation and the results it has produced, according to him, in addressing migration flows.

Specifically, regarding the route from Libya via Egypt, he says that during the first half of 2025, 3,200 irregular arrivals and just 69 returns were recorded. During the same period in 2026, arrivals fell to 802, while returns increased to 330.

According to Plevris, overall migration flows to Greece have fallen by approximately 70% in the space of a year, while returns have increased.

He attributes this development, among other factors, to the detention of people who do not meet the criteria for refugee status, stricter treatment of those who remain in the country illegally after their asylum applications have been rejected, and the expansion of voluntary returns.

The Evros fence as a “key tool” against irregular crossings

The minister also makes particular reference to the fence along the Evros border, describing it as a key tool in limiting irregular crossings along Greece’s land borders.

Plevris refers to the 2020 crisis, when thousands of people attempted to cross from Turkey into Greece en masse, arguing that the fence, together with the presence of security forces, played a decisive role in addressing the situation.

He also emphasizes that Greece’s borders are simultaneously the external borders of the European Union.

In his interview, Plevris further notes that Greece and the United States are now also cooperating in the field of asylum, exchanging practices and expertise.

As he points out, Greece had already begun implementing a stricter migration policy as early as 2019, when New Democracy, under Kyriakos Mitsotakis, came to power.

The minister contrasts the current situation with 2015, when, according to him, approximately one million people passed through Greece during the major refugee and migration crisis.