Currently, there is a growing trend towards increasing the use of digital and technological systems at borders which prioritizes the prevention of people moving from the Global South to the north over saving lives or guaranteeing their rights. This policy provokes deaths, while generating enormous profits for the companies that develop and operate these systems, funded by our taxpayer money. Despite this, the opacity and the lack of transparency surrounding these technologies prevents us from knowing which systems are being used and their real impact on people. These practices are backed by legal frameworks and tools, such as Schengen, EURODAC, PEMA, and the AI Act, which enable this migration control from colonial and racist ideologies. Despite these obstacles, it remains crucial to continue researching, raising awareness, and organizing to challenge this paradigm.

Border automation is reshaping the lives of people on the move. Often presented as tools for search and rescue, these technologies are frequently used for deterrence - sometimes in ways that are violent or unlawful. In the European Union’s refugee camps, automation can directly influence daily life and asylum outcomes. Despite these impacts, EU authorities are doubling down on AI-driven measures.

Recently our field reporters have received more and more reports which show the use of surveillance technology on the borders, including drones, thermal imaging technology, and cell phone tracking. Although use of surveillance and technology in border control is justified through a dangerous rhetoric of safety and crime prevention, we know that this is not the case. Laws and protections which should protect people from dehumanisation are being eroded – both at Brussels-level policy and through exploitation of technology by violent police forces with inadequate oversight.

Border automation is just the latest chapter in Europe's dehumanizing approach to migration. People are taking even more risks to avoid being caught in this unfair system that works against their security and basic human rights. A democratic debate isn't just necessary - it's urgent. Projects like Automation on the Move equip us to challenge this dangerous trajectory before it's too late. The real threat isn't migration - it's the erosion of everyone's rights. Want security? Let's address what truly makes people anxious and insecure: rising living costs, unstable jobs, crumbling welfare, failing healthcare, and climate change. These are Europe's real challenges if we want security for everyone, migrants and refugees included.

Automated risk assessment tools significantly transform how people on the move are identified, reducing them to data-driven risk profiles that may shift with changing algorithms. Rather than being seen as complex individuals with unique stories, people on the move are increasingly categorised through algorithms that prioritise specific variables such as nationality or travel history. This numeric abstraction strips away their individuality and makes their identities contingent and unstable. Ultimately, this shift in identification reframes individuals as probabilities to be managed rather than as human beings deserving of dignity and care.