The immigration decree is now a law: it will change the lives of thousands of people for the worse.

With yesterday's vote of confidence in the Chamber, the immigration decree was converted into law. Again we express our opposition to a provision that changes, in negative, the lives of thousands of people, making them even more vulnerable and exposing them to the risk of living on the margins. As already reiterated, far from guaranteeing "public order and security", this decree goes in the opposite direction, sharpening social hardship and increasing insecurity for the entire population, both migrants and Italians, with heavy repercussions also on social cohesion. According to some estimates, the only abolition of humanitarian protection - a residence permit granted by the Italian State to those who, despite not having the requisites to obtain international protection, still present vulnerabilities that require a form of protection - will produce 60 thousand new irregularities in the next two years. Thousands of new homeless people, people without rights, who risk becoming easy prey of exploitation and criminality.
"A decree of this magnitude would have deserved a thorough discussion, under approval, to try at least to introduce some improvements, but the text has passed with confidence", underlines Fabiana Musicco, president of the association. "To pay the price of this new regulatory framework will be, for example, thousands of children arrived in Italy from only minors who are close to 18 years. Many of them have applied for asylum and if they received a refusal of international protection, once they have become adults, they would have no right to remain in Italy on a regular basis. Not to mention the many neo-adults who have already obtained humanitarian protection and who, not being able to access the Sprar system because of the decree, do not have a place to go. In this last month we have received several reports of young people in this situation, the risk for them is that they end up on the street.
Besides the abolition of humanitarian protection, there are many other questionable measures that will negatively impact the architecture of the reception system in Italy. Instead of enhancing the widespread reception managed by local authorities, which in recent years has encouraged real inclusion processes for asylum seekers and protection holders, this decree has been chosen to reinforce the emergence logic of large centers, which besides not guaranteeing any integration, it often generates, due to the few controls, abuses and embezzlement. "Many provisions of the decree, in addition to reducing the space of exercise of some fundamental rights, such as the asylum, are contrary to common sense and will make our country a less safe place for all, migrants and Italians".