Italy's National Coordination of Care Communities (CNCA) has expressed concern over measures included in a new immigration bill approved by the government earlier this month. The organization highlighted the risks the draft legislation could pose for unaccompanied migrant children and teens living in Italy.
Yet another organization has spoken out about draft migration legislation waiting for final approval in Italy. This time, it is the National Coordination of Care Communities (CNCA), which has expressed "clear opposition and deep concern" for measures included in a bill on immigration approved by the government earlier this month.
The bill, which was greenlighted at a government meeting on February 11 and still needs to go through parliament for final approval, includes provisions that affect "in a significant way the safeguarding of unaccompanied migrant minors", the organization said.
In particular, CNCA asked parliament to scrap the proposed changes and open a "serious and transparent" debate with organizations working daily to host and safeguard minors.
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'Announced measures represent a backward step'
The announced measures include cutting back on the time a young migrant is placed under the care of the protection system, from 21 to 19 years of age, to assisted repatriation, which would be handled by prefects rather than by juvenile courts, under the draft legislation.
Such a reform would represent a "backward step" compared to Law No. 47 from April 7, 2017, which is recognized across Europe as an advanced model of protection for migrant minors, CNCA said.
According to the organization, "cutting back on the continuation of administrative care -- when teens can enjoy the support and guidance of the protection system -- from 21 to 19 years of age, means interrupting education, training and job projects during a phase of consolidation, leaving thousands of young people without support during the most delicate part of their transition into adulthood."
'Clear contrast with article 3 of the Constitution'
In addition, CNCA noted that "introducing a more restrictive limit for unaccompanied migrant minors -- compared to their Italian peers -- would moreover create a disparity exclusively based on citizenship, in clear contrast with article 3 of the constitution and with the principle of the superior interest of the minor stated by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The transfer of jurisdiction on assisted repatriation from the juvenile court to the prefect would also imply that decisions impacting fundamental rights would be moved from the jurisdictional to the administrative field."
"It is not possible to talk about security while tools building inclusion and responsibility are being dismantled," stated Piero Mangano, the deputy president of CNCA and coordinator of the federation's group of unaccompanied migrant minors.
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