Following the multiple terrorist attacks that have plagued Europe, Italy’s National Director of Public Safety has announced a crackdown on illegal immigration as well as an increase of deportations.
National Police Chief Franco Gabrielli sent out letter to Italy’s police departments announcing a “zero tolerance” policy towards illegal immigrants as more refugees cross the borders into Europe.
The two page directive was part-published in the Italian newspaper Courier della Sera and called for police to increase their efforts in deporting the unwanted migrants.
The notice says the change is important “in the current context of crisis in the face of increasing migratory pressures and an international scenario characterized by instability and threats.”
Gabrielli called for “maximum attention from the different branches of law enforcement to track down foreigners in irregular situations through targeted controls.”
Because of new rules, Italy will open 16 detention centers for migrants to be held until they can be deported.
The new policy was announced on Christmas Eve following a deadly truck attack in Berlin that killed 12 people. The attacker, Anis Amri came to Italy by boat in 2011 and was ordered to leave the country when released from a detention center in 2015.
Over the course of the past three years, more than half-a-million people have arrived in Italy and in just the past year alone, the number of migrants arriving by boat increased by almost one fifth.
[revad2]
