Defence conglomerates, such as Thales, Finmeccanica and Airbus, a media article alleges, "...do not just benefit from border control. They are also among the largest European arms exporters to the Middle East and North Africa. In other words, they fuel the very immigration crises that they promise to solve — and profit from both". According to the article, the EU has plant to create a network of migrant detention centres and is seeking African countries' cooperation to crack down asylum seekers and refugees.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales to respond. Only Leonardo and Thales responded (linked below).