An investigation by the north Italian city of Turin's prosecutor's office into the city's repatriation center found an area set aside for migrants that produced an "overall effect similar to that of sections of a zoo".
The new Prefect of Agrigento, the Sicilian region that includes the island of Lampedusa, pledged to beef up intervention on the island in his inauguration speech on Tuesday (May 23).
The majority of Italy's first reception centers, or 'hotspots' as they are known, are located in the south of the country. Now the government has announced it is considering building one in the north, possibly in the port city of Trieste.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella shared his concerns about EU cooperation on migration during a May 19 meeting in Rome.
Migrants rescued Friday spoke with Doctors without Borders volunteers about their time in the Libyan detention centers
Several NGOs in Italy have denounced European countries for their alleged role in migrant deaths in the Mediterranean Sea, emphasizing the responsibility states bear in preventing further tragedies at sea.
Italy's special commissioner for the migration emergency, Valerio Valenti, met with prefects from Friuli Venezia Giulia this week. The northeastern Italian region has seen an 180% increase in the number of newly arrived migrants and refugees.
The Italian government wants to create 1,000 additional spots in reception facilties for refugees and migrants in the southern regions of Sicily and Calabria. It is also planning to upgrade the hotspot on the island of Lampedusa. However, there are no plans to increase spots at the frequently overcrowded Lampedusa facility.
The latest events around Europe indicate an increasing alignment to get tougher on migration. The UK's plans to outsource asylum procedures or a recent meeting between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Czech counterpart are just two examples.
Amid a row between Italy and France over migration policy, the French authorities have begun using drones at the border with Italy to track migrant numbers. Italy says France's interpretation of the figures is false.
For migrants in Italy getting special protection status can be life-changing. But lawmakers have now approved a law severely restricting access.
The Italian city of Florence has raised concerns about a growing number of unaccompanied migrant minors, saying that over 430 are currently in the regional capital's municipality alone. Calls have been made for more investment in the system for migrant reception and integration, known as SAI.