The list of new pre-removal detention centers (CPR) for migrants in Italy will be communicated by the beginning of the summer, as announced by the Minister of Interior, Matteo Piantedosi.
A list of new pre-repatriation detention centers (CPR) for migrants to be realized on Italian territory will be communicated by the beginning of summer. This was the content of a speech by the Italian Ministry of Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, in response to the controversy triggered by the issue of a policeman stabbed in Milan.
The assailant, Hasan H., a Moroccan citizen, had received several expulsion orders which were never implemented due to the lack of space in the repatriation centers, among other reasons.
Therefore, despite having already a repatriation order, he was free to circulate in Italy without being held in a CPR. Such structures, as Minister Piantedosi has often reiterated, "are destined to host specifically people who have shown signs of representing a danger for society".
Also read: Italian interior minister vows to increase number of repatriation centers
In 2024 a slight increase in the number of repatriations
The passage through the CPRs is almost obligatory before repatriation (it happened in 66% of the cases in 2023).
So far in 2024, there was a slight uptick in repatriations, with 1,639 migrants returned to their countries of origin compared to 1,578 in the same period last year. Total repatriations in 2023 reached 4,743, marking a 10.5% increase from 2022.
With new places opening up at the CPRs, the Italian government believes it can significantly increase the number of irregular migrants to fly back to their country of origin.
Already last September, Premier Giorgia Meloni informed she had given the mandate to the Ministry of Defense to realize "In the shortest time possible the facilities to hold illegal migrants in an area with a low population density that could also be easy to oversee and watch over."
For this reason, the Defense sector received funding for 20 million euros and conducted an assessment of the condition of the facilities to identify the adequate ones: military barracks and sites already have fences around them for example.
The military engineer corps will then have to conduct the work to make these areas usable. The last State budget has specifically earmarked 42.5 million euros in 3 years to increase the CPR network.
What CPRs are already present and which ones are being planned?
The current CPRs are located in Bari, Brindisi, Caltanissetta, Rome, Palazzo San Gervasio, Trapani, Gradisca, Macomer, and Milan, while the one in Turin was closed due to damages. This is not an isolated case: the centers are often targeted by vandalism acts, fires, and protests led by the people it hosts.
The goal is to identify ten more centers: 12 regions do not have CPRs (Calabria, Campania, Abruzzo, Molise, Marche, Umbria, Toscana, Emilia Romagna, Liguria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto, Trentino Alto-Adige).
Milan, in addition to the center in Via Corelli, could host another CPR, as noted by the Deputy Minister of Interior, Nicola Molteni.
However, the government's plan faced delays due to protests, particularly in Liguria and Calabria, where proposed CPR sites encountered fierce opposition.
Inquiry into 'inhuman conditions'
Observers and aid groups have consistently criticized the living conditions at CPR facilities. An inspection in December by the Italian financial police in the Via Corelli CPR migrant center in Milan uncovered "inhuman" conditions, leading to forthcoming legal proceedings. The investigation revealed shocking realities including food infested with worms, dilapidated facilities, and misuse of psychiatric drugs.
Managers of the center may face charges, with the company under investigation for fraudulent practices. Disturbing videos showcased dire conditions, while migrants suffered from untreated medical conditions due to managerial negligence.
Also read: Italy: Investigation reveals 'inadequate' health services, expired food at CPR