Agrigento: Deportation of asylum seekers – press release

Borderline
Sicilia expresses concerns over the fate of approximately ten asylum seekers
whose asylum applications were declined by officials in Agrigento last week. A
deportation order was also issued against them.

Apparently,
these deportation orders, which were issued after a hearing of the asylum
seekers, were unfounded. Rather, they are based upon a recent decision to
enforce two guidelines that came into effect on September, 30th.

Yet, the
adequacy of these specific decisions of the official committee in Agrigento
seems highly questionable and unacceptable. Officials in Agrigento have thus
made it possible to deport people who are legally considered asylum seekers until
the time-limit to contest this measurement (decline of the application for
international protection) is exceeded.

Even
worse methods surfaced, which barred declined asylum seekers from reception. From
some employees we learnt in fact that by Agrigento’s officials’ order, all
centers of the province were to stop immediately accommodating any person that
was issued a deportation order. This order was issued under threat of severe
punishment if not followed. Because of this, the declined asylum seekers are
thrown out at a moment’s notice, without a euro on them as the officials do not
provide them with their allowance.

Borderline
Sicilia denounced the illegitimacy of this praxis. Agrigento’s officials are
violating the rules how to contest the decline of asylum (mainly Art. 35 of the
Decreto Legislativo, N. 25/2008). In fact, they deny dozens of people the right
to a proper legal defense and abandon them without a place to live and without
any money.

This is
the hundredth institutional trick (one per delayed deportation that was
reported during the month of October). This trick is performed, on the one
hand, to have available reception centers, and, on the other hand, to fulfil the
efficiency standards of the EU, which Italy accepts unresistingly. These
standards of efficiency only concern the numbers not the law and are enforced
even at the expense of severe violations of the law.

Borderline
Sicilia demands that the government stops its countless illegitimate practices
that were executed in 2015. They demand that the government instead searches
for solutions that are compatible with human rights. There should be a
reasonable asylum policy and not one that discriminates against the people
involved and violates their interests.

Borderline
Sicilia Onlus

Translation: Annika Schadewaldt