Italy Deports Multiple Asylum Seekers Denied Status to Albanian Detention Facilities

Headline: Italy Repurposes Albania Repatriation Hubs for Deported Migrants, Creating Controversy and Legal Uncertainty

Latching onto a costly and litigious program, Italy has refashioned two processing centers in Albania for the detainment of migrants scheduled for repatriation following defined legal difficulties.

Spotlight

On Friday, scores of migrants waiting for deportation embarked upon their transit to Italian-controlled establishments in Albania. These centers were previously repurposed as asylum claim processing centers in October 2023, a move closely observed by the European Union, but now perform the added function of accommodating migrants with existing deportation orders, as per a March 2025 decree.

A group of 40 multinational migrants arrived at the northern port of Shengjin on Italian naval vessels before being transferred to a neighboring Gjader facility, a former military fortification enclosed by tall fences and under camera surveillance. The migrants are anticipated to remain in Albania before repatriation, a process that often takes months. However, Italian legal experts foresee another wave of legal challenges on the horizon.

This action epitomizes Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's attempts to delegate migrant processing to a non-EU nation, thus expediting repatriation efforts. In November 2023, Meloni and her Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, signed an agreement stipulating the creation of two Italian-operated centers in Albania. Subsequently, various legal hurdles led to their prolonged vacancy.

Cast a Glimpse

Italian magistrates have persistently declined to authorize the Albanian detention of migrants deterred by Italian authorities at sea.

Insight

Italy's first port of call for many migrants risking the treacherous passage from North Africa, this move by Meloni and the Brothers of Italy party resonates with an election campaign promising to stem migrant arrivals.

The repatriation hubs face questions regarding legal validity, the treatment of migrants in the centers, and the precedent of outsourcing detention to a non-member state neither directly associated with the migrants' origin nor transit routes. Critics have disparaged the facilities as costly and inhumane, affording echoes of Italy's domestic detention network that advocates have long labeled as "black holes."

Meloni's administration seems resolute in expanding the use of these centers, despite legal uncertainties, intending to argumentatively justify their €800 million price tag. The European Court of Justice's forthcoming ruling will dictate the legitimacy or illegality of the entire framework. The relocation of existing deportation cases suggests a broader utilization plan, though successful deportation rates still pose a critical challenge. The future of these repatriation centers is contingent upon legal results and Italy's ability to negotiate bilateral return agreements, amid ongoing scrutiny from human rights organizations.

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Italy, under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is repurposing two processing centers in Albania for the detainment of migrants scheduled for repatriation, causing controversy and legal uncertainty.
These centers, initially asylum claim processing centers in October 2023, now accommodate migrants with existing deportation orders, as per a March 2025 decree.
A group of 40 multinational migrants have been transferred from Italian naval vessels to a center in Albania, with plans for them to remain before repatriation.
Prime Minister Meloni and her Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, signed an agreement in November 2023 to create two Italian-operated centers in Albania, but various legal hurdles led to their prolonged vacancy.
Italian magistrates have declined to authorize the Albanian detention of migrants deterred by Italian authorities at sea.
The expansion of these centers, despite legal uncertainties, is intended to justify their €800 million price tag, with the European Court of Justice's ruling determining their legitimacy.
Critics have labeled these repatriation hubs as costly and inhumane, reminiscent of Italy's domestic detention network.
The future of these centers depends on the legal results and Italy's ability to negotiate bilateral return agreements, while facing ongoing scrutiny from human rights organizations.