Judges in Italy halted the government’s offshore asylum seeker plan yet again, emphasizing rising tensions over immigration policies.
Prime Minister Meloni’s Asylum Plan Faces Another Court Setback in Italy
Prime Minister Meloni’s Asylum Plan Faces Another Court Setback in Italy
Judicial decisions continue to challenge Meloni's controversial immigration strategy.
Italian judges once again rejected Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's controversial plan to hold asylum seekers in Albania as their claims are processed. This ruling, delivered by a court of appeals in Rome, marks the third defeat for the right-wing government since the initiative began in October, which has become a cornerstone of Meloni's administration.
The latest court decision involves 43 migrants who were intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea and subsequently transported to Albania by the Italian Navy. The judges ruled that asylum seekers must be returned to Italy while their cases undergo evaluation, with a review of the government’s practices set to occur next month by the European Court of Justice.
An Interior Ministry spokesperson confirmed that in light of the ruling, the migrants will be relocated to Italy. Although the government had intended for these migrants to reside in detention centers in Albania—designed to expedite their asylum processes—only "non-vulnerable" men from designated “safe countries” were to be sent there, while women and minors are allowed into Italy.
Meloni's administration argues that the policy is essential for deterring undocumented immigration and reducing risky sea crossings. However, the initiative has drawn vehement criticism from human rights organizations, as well as opposition parties who deem it not only illegal but also an unnecessary burden on public resources.
The latest court decision involves 43 migrants who were intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea and subsequently transported to Albania by the Italian Navy. The judges ruled that asylum seekers must be returned to Italy while their cases undergo evaluation, with a review of the government’s practices set to occur next month by the European Court of Justice.
An Interior Ministry spokesperson confirmed that in light of the ruling, the migrants will be relocated to Italy. Although the government had intended for these migrants to reside in detention centers in Albania—designed to expedite their asylum processes—only "non-vulnerable" men from designated “safe countries” were to be sent there, while women and minors are allowed into Italy.
Meloni's administration argues that the policy is essential for deterring undocumented immigration and reducing risky sea crossings. However, the initiative has drawn vehement criticism from human rights organizations, as well as opposition parties who deem it not only illegal but also an unnecessary burden on public resources.
