This chapter introduces a reflection that critically examines the reasons for which the meaning of “return” has substantially changed over the last two decades while being equated with deportation or readmission in EU policy discourses. Today, critically questioning these powerful policy paradigms constitutes a daunting challenge for practitioners and researchers alike. To do so, we need to distance ourselves from the above-mentioned policy paradigms by adopting a method which critically examines what current “return policies” really address and prioritise on the ground. The contribution shows that comparing without equating return with removal is possible and necessary through the lens of migration cycles. It is also useful to highlight the security-oriented biases that have driven current policy priorities as well as their own limits when addressing the link between return reintegration and development.