Borderline Sicilia at the presentation of the report of the campaign LasciateCIEntrare

On the 25th of February, the association Borderline Sicilia took part in the press conference at the National Press Federation in Rome which was organized by the campaign LasciateCIEntrare* in order to present the annual report called "The reception of refugees: the real emergency". During the press conference, some representatives of the campaign, of the tertiary sector and some of the independent information organisations that investigate in the context of immigration, rose to speak.

The CPSA at Pozzallo becomes a Hotspot.

On Tuesday it was officially announced that the CPSA at Pozzallo has been transformed into a Hotspot, the third in Sicily. Inside, the Italian police will be supported by officials from Frontex, EASO and EUROPOL, while the management of the services is still being left to the cooperative Azione Sociale, as the a winner of the three-year contract, the tendering competition of which has been open for some months, has yet to chosen. The Hotspots are the result of European political decisions made in the remit of the relocation agreements, and are presented as a definitive arrangement for differentiating between economic migrants and asylum seekers.

The Right of Asylum becomes a Utopia

In the last few weeks, while the news in the newspapers has focussed on other events, Italy has continued to deny young migrants a future and a hope: those running from the hands of terrorists, from “democratic” bombs, from multinationals, from slavery, from the desert and the sea, are ending up under a bridge or in a doorway.

The hope of which we speak is called international protection, which today seems little more than a utopia – both for those who have been in Italy for some time, and those who have arrived in recent days. In the midst of almost total silence, the Italian government has signed or revived agreements with various African nations (Tunisia, Egypt, Nigeria, Gambia), covered by large sums of money, both to impede departures headed for Europe and to promptly repatriate those who are not stopped by the desert, the traffickers or the sea.

Agrigento: Deportation of asylum seekers – press release

Borderline Sicilia expresses concerns over the fate of approximately ten asylum seekers whose asylum applications were declined by officials in Agrigento last week. A deportation order was also issued against them. 

Apparently, these deportation orders, which were issued after a hearing of the asylum seekers, were unfounded. Rather, they are based upon a recent decision to enforce two guidelines that came into effect on September, 30^th.

Stories of Migrants: From Lampedusa to travel documents

Meridionews.it – First, the long journey that starts at the Ivory Coast, in Guinea, and in Mali. Then, there are several weeks of staying in Libya and attempting to acquire enough money – approximately 450€ – for crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, there is the arrival in Lampedusa, which is at the same time the beginning of a new odyssey through Sicily. This is the story of four teenagers who arrived in Catania Wednesday morning. All used names are pseudonyms.

They met each other in an abandoned house outside of Tripoli. Migrants from various countries are placed there by human traffickers, where they are waiting until they can board a ship. Their stories are diverse yet have one thing in common: the necessity to leave their homes.

Migrants turned away from Catania and Syracuse

On 30 September 2015 between 10-11am, a boat arrived in the port of Catania. It had aboard 234 migrants, who had been put together from two separate rescues: one boat with 124 people; one with 110 people. This information was gathered from the few migrants who stayed in Catania. The majority of the group were transported out of the city on four coaches. They also said that waiting for them at the port on their arrival, in addition to the police were, members of other organisations including: UNHCR, the Civil Protection, Save the Children and OIM*. Some of those aboard were in need of medical treatment and were hospitalised. In addition to the adults, some children were also among those who arrived.

Migrants: unlawful deportation by chief of police

Agrocatania.org - Can chief police officers reject migrants? No, says the prosecutor, who bore out the Senegalese Diallo Ibrahim, whose case was heard on 18 February 2014 because of a decree for the deportation on the part of the chief of police of Syracuse.

Caught by the marines of the ship San Giusto from the sea without identity documents and residence permit, he was brought ashore in Syracuse and, on the same day, received the request to “leave Italian territory within seven days after the notification of the decree crossing the border from Rome-Fiumicino. “He was certainly not the only one who got the notice of rejection but Diallo has entered a caveat and demanded that it will be annulled. The judge agreed with him. The judgment has been signed by Massimo Pulvirenti who is of the opinion that the decision should be annulled because the jurisdiction lies only with the civil court and not the chief of police – as it is defined in the judgment of the court of cassation.