Ninety civil-society organisations – including several of Italy’s largest refugee-assistance NGOs – issued a joint statement on 16 February warning that the European Parliament’s draft Returns Regulation could turn everyday spaces into immigration-enforcement zones. The groups argue that obliging member states to "identify" undocumented people proactively will lead to racial profiling, data-sharing across police forces and raids reminiscent of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics. (ansa.it)
Examples cited include France’s deployment of 4,000 officers to railway hubs last summer and Belgium’s roadside spot-checks, practices activists fear could become standard across the bloc. Italian signatories such as ASGI and Arci Immigrazione say the proposal would undermine community trust and drive migrants further underground, complicating health-care access and labour-market integration.
![Italian NGOs Join EU-Wide Alarm Over Proposed ‘ICE-Style’ Return Rules]()
In this shifting policy landscape, travellers, migrants and employers may benefit from expert assistance. VisaHQ’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers clear, up-to-date guidance on work visas, residence permits and other documentation, helping individuals and businesses stay compliant as EU and national rules evolve.
Although negotiations are ongoing, Rome’s government has broadly supported tougher return measures in line with its own draft immigration bill authorising naval blockades. The NGOs urge Italy’s MEPs to push for safeguards such as explicit bans on racial profiling and guarantees that public-service providers will not be forced to report undocumented patients or students.
Businesses employing third-country nationals should monitor the legislative debate: heightened enforcement could increase workplace inspections and complicate the renewal of residence permits, especially for employees whose documentation is in transition.
Examples cited include France’s deployment of 4,000 officers to railway hubs last summer and Belgium’s roadside spot-checks, practices activists fear could become standard across the bloc. Italian signatories such as ASGI and Arci Immigrazione say the proposal would undermine community trust and drive migrants further underground, complicating health-care access and labour-market integration.
In this shifting policy landscape, travellers, migrants and employers may benefit from expert assistance. VisaHQ’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers clear, up-to-date guidance on work visas, residence permits and other documentation, helping individuals and businesses stay compliant as EU and national rules evolve.
Although negotiations are ongoing, Rome’s government has broadly supported tougher return measures in line with its own draft immigration bill authorising naval blockades. The NGOs urge Italy’s MEPs to push for safeguards such as explicit bans on racial profiling and guarantees that public-service providers will not be forced to report undocumented patients or students.
Businesses employing third-country nationals should monitor the legislative debate: heightened enforcement could increase workplace inspections and complicate the renewal of residence permits, especially for employees whose documentation is in transition.
