Italy’s right-wing government is pushing forward with plans to tighten restrictions on migrants, despite hundreds of new arrivals at a Sicilian port on Monday. The Senate is set to debate legislation aimed at making it harder for migrants to gain temporary permission to stay in Italy, which has already seen a significant increase in arrivals this spring. According to the Italian coast guard, over 600 migrants were rescued over the weekend, with dozens more taken on board a charity boat from an unseaworthy vessel.
The proposed legislation aims to eliminate “special protection” for many of the tens of thousands of migrants who have arrived in Italy over the years, which allows them to stay for two years pending renewal. This protection, also known as humanitarian protection, enables migrants to work legally, rent housing, and access healthcare while their asylum claims are being processed. However, some coalition party members, including Matteo Salvini, argue that this protection acts as a “pull factor” encouraging more migrants to leave their homelands.
Salvini, who leads the anti-migrant League party, believes that the possibility of temporary permission to stay in Italy encourages people to leave their countries in search of a better life. Many of these migrants are fleeing poverty or a lack of decent jobs in sub-Saharan Africa, northern Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt. While the government of Premier Giorgia Meloni has indicated a desire to eliminate the “special protection” status, politicians from the conservative Forza Italia party have suggested slashing the time from two years to six months.
Matteo Salvini (Via Matteo Salvini/Twitter)
Italian authorities have been expressing growing concern about the influx of migrants, with over 33,000 arriving in Italy so far this year, compared to about 8,500 in the same period over the past two years. The government has declared a six-month national state of emergency to cope with the situation, which includes plans to shorten the time needed to fund or erect new housing for those losing their asylum bids. Despite these efforts, the situation remains fluid, with the center on the island of Lampedusa holding nearly 800 people, nearly double its capacity.
The government has also appointed an immigration commissioner to lead the emergency response, but this has been met with resistance from the left-led regions, which have refused to back the appointment. The governors of these regions have indicated they will not work with the commissioner’s plans to open new housing or repatriation centers, which could impact the efficiency of the response.
