Italian Prime Minister Meloni Unveils Sweeping New Immigration Crackdown Including Naval Blockades and Expanded Deportations
ROME — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s cabinet has approved a stringent new legislative package aimed at curbing irregular migration, marking a significant escalation in her government’s efforts to secure Italy’s borders. The new decree, announced late Wednesday, introduces authorized “naval blockades” under specific emergency conditions and expands the legal grounds for the immediate deportation of foreign nationals.
The centerpiece of the legislation is a provision granting the government the power to seal off Italian territorial waters to migrant vessels during periods deemed to present “exceptional migratory pressure” or threats to national security and public order. This measure, which can be enforced for renewable 30-day periods, is designed to intercept boats before they reach Italian shores.
“If you want to live here, you need to respect the Italian laws,” Prime Minister Meloni stated following the cabinet meeting, emphasizing her administration’s resolve. “We will deploy every tool at our disposal to guarantee the security of our borders. For those who said it was impossible, nothing is truly impossible for those who are determined.”
In addition to border closures, the bill introduces severe penalties for non-compliance. Humanitarian rescue ships and other vessels that violate the blockade orders could face fines of up to €50,000 ($54,000) and the confiscation of their boats. The legislation specifically targets the operations of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Mediterranean, which the government has frequently accused of facilitating illegal crossings—a charge the groups vehemently deny.
The new policy also seeks to revive and expand the controversial offshore processing model. The decree authorizes the transfer of intercepted migrants to “safe third countries” with which Italy has bilateral agreements, most notably Albania. This provision aims to bypass recent legal hurdles that had stalled the operation of Italian-run detention centers across the Adriatic, allowing for the extraterritorial processing of asylum claims and swifter repatriation of those whose applications are rejected.
Domestically, the bill broadens the criteria for expulsion. Foreign nationals convicted of a wider range of offenses, including assaulting law enforcement officers or participating in riots within detention facilities, will now face automatic deportation. The government argues these measures are necessary to maintain public safety and deter criminal activity among the migrant population.
The announcement comes just days after the European Parliament voted to adopt stricter EU-wide migration and asylum pacts, signaling a broader shift in continental policy. Italy’s Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi, defended the new national measures as consistent with European standards, stating, “Italy’s borders are Europe’s borders. Defending them is a duty.”
While the government cites a reduction in reduced arrivals over the past year as evidence of its policy success, opposition parties and human rights organizations have already condemned the new decree. Critics argue that naval blockades could violate international maritime law and endanger lives at sea, pledging to challenge the measures in court. The bill must now pass through both chambers of the Italian parliament to become permanent law, a process expected to ignite fierce political debate in the coming weeks.
* theguardian.com
* ctvnews.ca
* ine.org.pl
* theguardian.com
* business-standard.com
* 24newshd.tv
* thetelegraph.com
