The Italian government approved a series of measures this Monday, September 18, including in particular the extension of the detention period for rejected migrants and the creation of new detention centers.
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The Italian government approved new measures on Monday September 18 to stem the arrival of migrants. In particular, more detention centers and an increase in the length of detention for rejected migrants are planned, in order to dissuade departures from North Africa. These decisions come after a sharp increase in arrivals on the small Italian island of Lampedusa, where around 8,500 migrants landed in three days last week. The far-right government then entered crisis management mode.
Council President Giorgia Meloni promised on Sunday that her government would take another turn of the screw, especially by extending the maximum period of detention of irregular immigrants from 135 days to 18 months. “ That means – and I send this very clear message to all of Africa – qeu if you rely on traffickers to violate Italian law, when you arrive in Italy you should know that you will be arrested and then repatriated “, she said. The increase in the detention period was approved on Monday by the Council of Ministers, according to a government source at AFP. It will now have to be voted on in Parliament.
A real impact for these measures?
This reform will also prevent the Italian authorities from being legally obliged to release foreigners subject to a decision to deport them to the border. And this, in cases where the eviction procedure has not been completed within the current time limit of 135 days.
After disembarking in Italy, the vast majority of migrants are sent to reception centers throughout the country, where they stay while awaiting a decision on their asylum request. Migrants awaiting expulsion are sent to detention centers for illegal aliens. There are nine of these centers on the peninsula, notably in Bari (south), Rome (center) and Milan (north). The maximum detention period was 18 months in Italy from 2011 to 2014, then it was reduced by the left-wing government led by Matteo Renzi.
Read alsoThe Italian island of Lampedusa faces a record arrival of migrants
New centers to be set up “as soon as possible”
The nine existing detention centers have a maximum capacity of 1,161 people. Nearly 6,400 people stayed there in 2022. Most of them from Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and Albania. A little more than 3,150 were repatriated, according to the Italian prison control authority, the others remaining inadmissible, but most often unable to be expelled.
Giorgia Meloni, who won the legislative elections last year with a resolutely anti-migrant program, declared on Sunday that the Ministry of Defense would also be responsible for setting up new detention centers ” as soon as possible “. At the end of 2022, the government allocated 42.5 million euros for new detention centers, and the Ministry of Defense is supposed to reconvert already existing sites in sparsely populated areas. Nearly 130,000 people have arrived in Italy since the start of the year, compared to 68,200 in 2022, according to the latest figures published Monday by the Interior Ministry.
Read alsoMigrations: Ursula von der Leyen presents in Lampedusa an emergency plan to help Italy
(With AFP)