"The government is devoting special efforts to render repatriation procedures more effective and to improve the network of repatriation centers," Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told the Italian Senate.

He went on to specify that this was an extension of existing EU laws governing migration issues:

"It is the EU, additionally, that requires the creation of CPRs to ensure effective implementation of deportation orders and not for other ends, since the lack of detention in such facilities would expose Italy to violation of EU regulations and consequently sanctions," he highlighted.

'Special government plan to increase reception capacity'

"The government has already introduced several measures to increase reception capacity of CPRs and to make them more suitable for their functions, in part due to the close correlation in a positive sense between the number of repatriations and places available in the facilities," the minister continued.

"The data recorded also last year confirm the absolute necessity of having available an adequate number of places in these facilities to improve the country's ability to counter an increase in irregular immigration with an increase in the percentage of repatriation," he said. "To this end, a special plan is being drawn up to identify areas that will be set aside for these facilities and at the same time, rehabilitation works are being carried out on the CPRs already active across the country, which have been targeted repeatedly by acts of vandalism by the migrants hosted."

Piantedosi also added that "these facilities make it possible to hold individuals that, if they were allowed to circulate freely, pending repatriation, would represent a concrete risk to the security of our communities."

'60% of migrants deported spent time in CPR'

"In 2023, of the 4,743 foreign nationals deported, 3,134 had spent time in a CPR," Piantedosi explained. "As of April 7 of this year, about 60% of those repatriated transited through a CPR."

"The holding in CPRs, always on the basis of a measure authorised by a judge, is for migrant adults lacking the right to remain in Italy and as such are destined to be deported," he added, mentioning as among the latter "those who do not collaborate for their identification as well as those deemed a societal risk."