There are two investigations in Italy, looking in to the delayed disembarking of migrants involving former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini as defendant. The cases are now being heard by preliminary investigative judges in Sicily.
In Italy, the number of residents and places at CAS migrant reception centers decreased significantly following the enactment of the 'migration and security decree' championed by former interior minister Matteo Salvini, according to a new report by two NGOs.
UNHCR expressed satisfaction on the passage into law of the new migration decree in Italy. The decree modifies the Salvini decrees, and UNHCR called it a "positive step forward" for refugees in Italy.
A new security decree modifying previous decrees passed under former Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini was approved Friday by the Italian Senate.
Former Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini on Saturday appeared for the second time in court in connection with the delay in disembarking 131 migrants from the Gregoretti ship last July. At the hearing in Catania, transport minister Danilo Toninelli accused Salvini of being responsible for the delay, stressing that he had the responsibility to decide whether to disembark the migrants.
The organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has asked the Italian parliament to approve some key amendments to draft immigration legislation, including abolishing sanctions on rescue ships, and the elimination of the concept of "safe country of origin".
The Italian cabinet, on Monday, approved a new decree on migration and security in the country. It is in distinct contrast to the two previous decrees by former interior minister Matteo Salvini. The new decree is intended to return to a “system of reception and integration.”
The latest draft of the decree to modify two previous security decrees by former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini is now headed to the Italian cabinet. The draft includes a reform of the migrant reception system, the broadening of conditions that allow for applying for humanitarian protection, and the possibility to convert stay permits into work permits.
Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese has announced that a new draft decree on immigration has been finalized. The proposed legislation changes the hosting system to include asylum seekers as well as those granted international protection, the minister said.
A regulation introduced by Italy's former interior minister Matteo Salvini that denies asylum seekers the possibility to be listed in the official registry has been rejected by the country's Constitutional Court. The regulation had been brought in as part of a ''security decree'' and complaints that it was unconstitutional had been filed by courts in Milan, Ancona and Salerno.
Italy's government coalition continues to be divided on changes to ex-interior minister Matteo Salvini's migrants-security decrees. Salvini's former government coalition partner, the Five-Star Movement (M5S), wants to postpone the issue to September while its current ruling partner, the Democratic Party (PD), is asking to speed up a reform.
In Italy, the state can take four years to process a citizenship requests. That time is necessary, given an increase in requests, according to Michele Di Bari, the head of the interior ministry's immigration department.