The report, titled "Trattenuti 2024: Una radiografia del sistema detentivo per stranieri" ("Detained 2024: an X-ray of the detention system for foreign nationals"), was developed in partnership with the University of Bari's Political Science Department.

It reveals that in 2023, only 10 percent of the migrants with expulsion orders in Italy were repatriated from CPR facilities – 2,987 out of 28,347 –while the total repatriations, including those conducted at borders, airports, or by police stations, reached 4,267.

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50,000 Foreigners detained in CPR centers since 2014

The report states that 50,000 people have been detained in CPR centers from 2014 to 2023, with the system consistently operating below capacity.

As of 2023, only 10 out of 12 centers remain open, functioning at about 53 percent of their official capacity.

According to ActionAid’s migration expert, Fabrizio Coresi, the CPR model is seen as "inhumane and uncontrolled" and a failing system that, nonetheless, has become the template for new migrant detention centers in Albania under the Italian government’s Meloni administration.

The report also highlights a trend toward a more specialized detention system for asylum seekers and migrants eligible for accelerated deportation, particularly those arriving directly from border regions.

In recent years, CPR centers have become a key part of Italy’s expedited deportation process, especially for Tunisian nationals who are frequently deported directly from border zones.

ActionAid’s report shows that Tunisian migrants made up 85 percent of deportations from Sicilian CPR centers, though they accounted for only 11 percent of total arrivals in Italy in 2023. The trend suggests an emerging "parallel detention system" for asylum seekers from so-called "safe countries" held in centers close to landing points.

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High costs of Italian CPR centers

The CPR system cost 39 million euros over the last two years, 2022-2023, with the annual operating cost per facility averaging 1.76 million euros. The average cost per detainee reached nearly 29,000 euros annually, a figure considered underestimated as it excludes "ancillary expenses."

The Brindisi CPR holds the highest annual per-detainee cost at over 71,500 euros for an effective capacity of just 14 places.

The Torino Cpr, although largely closed throughout 2023, accrued 3.4 million euros in expenses due to rent paid to Ferrovie dello Stato (Italian Railways) and extensive maintenance.

Ponte Galeria in Rome emerged as the most expensive center over the last two years, with systematic repairs needed due to frequent damage.

From 2018 to 2023, nearly €93 million has been spent on CPR centers, with over 33 million euros allocated specifically for extraordinary maintenance – more than 76 percent of which was dedicated to damage repairs. ActionAid’s report points out that prolonged detention correlates directly with increased maintenance costs due to damage caused by detainees.

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