The National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) has called for an urgent meeting with the Interior Ministry to discuss growing challenges faced by cities in hosting migrants. In a statement released on August 29, ANCI highlighted the serious lack of national funding to support unaccompanied migrant minors, the difficulties in managing landings from NGO rescue ships, and the need for clarity on how the European Pact on Migration and Asylum will be implemented in Italy. The association stressed that these are urgent matters that cannot be delayed and must be addressed quickly.
Gianguido D’Alberto, ANCI’s delegate on immigration and mayor of Teramo in Abruzzo, explained that one of the most pressing problems is how port cities are being forced to deal with migrant landings without clear criteria or shared management systems. He pointed out that local mayors are experiencing major difficulties in hosting migrants and that this strain is directly affecting municipal services. According to D’Alberto, the situation has been made worse by the government’s failure to reimburse municipalities for expenses they already covered. He noted that the lack of coverage from the fund dedicated to hosting unaccompanied migrant minors has created a new and serious financial crisis for local governments.
D’Alberto stressed that this situation has never happened before and that many municipalities are now struggling with debt. He explained that towns are still waiting to be reimbursed for costs from 2023 and 2024, and there is deep concern that 2025 funding will not be enough either. Without this support, municipalities will be unable to maintain proper standards of care and services for migrants, especially children who arrive without family. He made it clear that covering these unpaid expenses is essential if local governments are expected to continue providing accommodation and assistance.
The mayor also said that municipalities need more guarantees about their role in managing the migrant reception system, particularly through the SAI network, which is Italy’s main system for integration and asylum support. He called for the expansion of this network in line with the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum. According to him, ensuring municipalities have autonomy to decide how many migrants they can host in their territories is vital for balancing quality services and local capacities.
D’Alberto emphasized that mayors across Italy are ready to cooperate with the government, but they need proper consultation and sufficient resources. Without these, he warned, it will be very difficult to guarantee effective interventions or maintain adequate standards in migrant hosting. He concluded by saying that local authorities cannot continue bearing the financial and operational burden alone while waiting endlessly for national support.
This growing tension between local municipalities and the central government shows the pressure migration is placing on Italy. Mayors are asking for a system that is not only fair but also sustainable, where responsibilities are shared and municipalities are not left to handle the crisis without the tools or funds they need. The coming weeks will reveal whether the Interior Ministry responds to ANCI’s call and takes concrete steps to ease the strain on local administrations that have been at the frontline of Italy’s migrant reception system.