A rising chorus of aid organizations and human rights advocates is demanding the closure of migrant detention facilities in Italy, decrying the practice of administrative detention as a form of unlawful violence against migrants. The recent death of Ousmane Sylla by suicide while detained at the Ponte Galeria migrant center near Rome has sparked outrage and renewed calls for reform.
Eleonora Celoria, a lawyer and researcher at the migration think tank Forum of International and European Research on Immigration (FIERI), has been vocal in highlighting the dire living conditions and excessive surveillance endured by detainees in migrant detention centers, labeling them as “worse than prison.” Unlike criminal detention, administrative detention is imposed on individuals awaiting deportation orders or expulsion for various reasons, including rejected asylum claims or pending criminal proceedings. However, critics argue that these migrant detention centers lack rehabilitative programs and services, leading to prolonged periods of uncertainty and idleness for detainees.
Celoria emphasizes that administrative detention is a form of unlawful violence against migrants, pointing out that many detainees have not committed any crimes. She notes that alternative methods, such as retaining travel documents, could be more effective in ensuring compliance with deportation orders while advocating for a more humane approach to immigration policy.
Despite mounting criticism, recent decrees in Italy have extended the maximum detention period to 18 months, while a controversial migration deal with Albania allows for establishing processing centers within Albanian territory. This move has raised concerns about the externalization of migration policies and potential human rights violations as European countries seek to deter irregular migration through partnerships with nations like Albania and Libya.
The extension of administrative detention periods, coupled with militarized surveillance and the predominantly male composition of detainees, symbolizes a punitive stance by the Italian government aimed at dissuading further migration. However, critics argue that such measures undermine fundamental rights and fail to address the root causes of migration.
As pressure mounts on Italy to reform its immigration policies, the global community watches closely, wary of the implications of outsourcing migration control and the erosion of migrant rights.