Egypt has been detaining and deporting Sudanese refugees with growing violence since early 2026, with at least two people — including an 18-year-old carrying a valid UNHCR protection card — dying in custody after being denied medical care. Refugees report beatings, overcrowded cells, one meagre meal a day, and having their UNHCR documents confiscated during raids; families of those detained are even billed for the cost of deportation. The crackdown is widely linked to a March 2024 "strategic partnership" between Egypt and the EU worth €7.4 billion, of which €230 million was earmarked for migration management, raising sharp criticism from rights groups who argue the EU is effectively outsourcing border control at the expense of refugees' basic rights and safety.