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Italy senate passes law criminalizing illegal immigration

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Italy's Senate voted 157-124 Thursday to pass a controversial law making illegal immigration a crime, punishable by a fine of between 5,000 and 10,000 euros. The law also increases from two months to six the amount of time law enforcement officials may detain suspected illegal immigrants before deporting them. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has supported the bill as important for promoting public safety. The Catholic church opposes the law, which the church believes punishes the basic human right of migration. Human Rights Watch has also opposed the measure. Italy's Chamber of Deputies approved the bill in May. Illegal immigration is a growing problem in Italy, where about 36,000 illegal immigrants arrived by boat last year. In November, UN human rights experts expressed concern over Italy's treatment of detained migrants and asylum seekers. While the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said it was concerned about the facilities in which Italy holds irregular migrants and asylum seekers, UN experts also said Italy's criminal justice system boasts strong due process guarantees against arbitrary detentions.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on July 03, 2009 (boomark / email).