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Italy authorities evacuate African immigrants following violence

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Police in the southern Italian town of Rosarno began evacuating hundreds of African immigrants Saturday, following three days of violence that began Thursday when a group of immigrants was attacked while returning from the farms where they worked. The attack sparked rioting among the immigrant population and resulted in property damage as well as injuries to more than 50 immigrants and police officers. The evacuated immigrants were sent to detention centers around Italy and face deportation if they lack regular residence permits. Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni praised the police response in returning order to the area. A spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration in Italy indicated that the events had pulled the issue of illegal immigration into the forefront. Illegal immigration is a growing problem in Italy, where about 36,000 illegal immigrants arrived by boat in 2008. In July, Italy's Senate passed a law making illegal immigration a crime. Italy's Chamber of Deputies approved the bill in May. The law has been opposed by both the Catholic Church and Human Rights Watch. In November 2008, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention expressed concern about Italy's treatment of migrants and asylum seekers.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 11, 2010 (boomark / email).