Italy approves measures to stem mass influx of migrants Giorgia Meloni’s government orders new repatriation centers

The Italian government approved the opening of new repatriation centers for undocumented migrants And in just three days, more than 10,000 people have arrived on the island of Lampedusa, extending the term of office up to 18 months amid the crisis. An Ordinance approved by the Council of Ministers Far-right Georgia Meloney The Ministry of Defense is working to build “as soon as possible” so-called CPRs, centers where irregular migrants await deportation.

How do return centers work?

“This means I want to send a clear message to the whole of Africa If one believes the traffickers who break Italian lawsYou should know it He will be detained and deported upon his arrival in Italy“Meloni said in an interview for an Italian network. After crossing the Mediterranean and landing, the migrants who decide the Italian administration will be locked up in the so-called “.Permanent Repatriation Centres”, with prison-like functions Foreigners who have traveled illegally are detained there.

Last year, the 6,400 foreigners held in these facilities were held for an average of 40 days, according to data from the Italian prison watchdog. Less than half of them were sent back to their countries. The maximum detention in these centers was 18 months between 2011 and 2014, but Matteo Renzi’s government reduced that to 135 days.

“Years of immigration policies mean that there are very few places in reception centers in Italy today. New centers must be in places with the lowest population density, perimeter and surveillance,” said the first Italian. The minister also said that these facilities will be far away from cities. A dozen of these facilities are distributed in the country between Turin (North), Rome (Center), Bari or Brindisi (South), but The aim is to open at least one in each of the 21 Italian regions.

According to this action The length of time undocumented immigrants can be detained before deportation will be increased to 18 months., the maximum period allowed by the European Union (EU). “We will have all the time we need not only to carry out the necessary investigations, but also to return those who are not entitled to international protection,” Meloni warned at the start of the ministerial meeting.

In the case of asylum seekers, the law does not change and they can stay for up to 12 months. The Italian government plans to approve new measures on unaccompanied minors next week. Meloni also expected Italy to ask other member states at the next European Council in October to “take the necessary measures and decisions” to prevent illegal outflows from North Africa.

Almost 130 thousand migrants

As the numbers continue to evolve, 129,869 migrants have arrived on Italian shores so far this year, double the number in the same period in 2022 (68,195) and triple the number in 2021 (43,265), updated by the Ministry of Interior. Meloni visited Lampedusa this Sunday with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and she announced a European action plan to curb immigration. The visit was dubbed the “catwalk” by opponents and islanders alike.

“The presence of President van der Leyen in Lampedusa is also very important from a symbolic point of view. The presence of Europe at the borders most exposed to immigration underlines that this border is not only Italian, but European,” he said. Meloney in the Cabinet. The right-wing leader said he would “see” the EU “quickly” deliver promised investments to Tunisia, where most boats to Italy leave.

Against “old recipes”.

Many NGOs involved in rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean criticized the action plan announced by van der Leyen on Sunday. “The old recipes that the EU has been using for decades are useless“The crisis of solidarity and the situation of people in transit worsens,” humanitarian organizations say.

The report has the signatures of dozens of organisations, including SOS Humanity, Seawatch, RescueShip, Mediterranea Saving Humans, European Alternatives, Watch the Med Alarm Phone and Welcome to Europe. “The undersigned organizations ask An open and welcoming Europe and to provide EU member states with legal and safe routes and decent reception conditions,” the NGOs insist.

“We are appalled by the continuing deaths at sea caused by EU border policies and we reiterate our solidarity with people in transit,” the companies added. For its part, the NGO Doctors Without Borders The European Union asked forEnd externalization and containment policies at borders Over the years the European Union and its member states, including Italy, Complicity in the abuses and deaths of migrants“.

The plan announced by Von der Leyen includes ten commitments, including transferring migrants arriving in Lampedusa outside Italy to other European countries, renewing European legislation against human trafficking and defining new legal and safe humanitarian routes. He pledged to increase aerial surveillance of the Mediterranean by European agencies such as Frontex and to coordinate with countries the protocol for the safe return of migrants who do not meet European asylum conditions.