Italy Authorizes Naval Blockades to Halt Migrant Influx
Under the new legislation, entry into Italian territorial waters could be prohibited for up to 30 days—extendable to a maximum of six months—if authorities identify serious threats to public order or national security, including a “concrete risk of terrorist activity or infiltration.”
The law specifically authorizes naval blockades in circumstances of exceptional migratory pressure that could compromise secure border management. Migrants intercepted at sea under these conditions could be relocated to third countries, excluding their countries of origin, with which Italy has special agreements.
Italy’s updated migration package, which also strengthens border surveillance and enhances cooperation with European agencies, comes just a day after the European Union approved its new migration and asylum pact, which Rome has pledged to implement quickly.
Italian media have reported that the provision enabling transfers to third countries is designed to facilitate the Italy-Albania migration protocol signed on Nov. 6, 2023. The agreement calls for migrants rescued in the Mediterranean to be temporarily housed at two Italian-run centers in Albania while their asylum applications are processed. The protocol has not yet become operational due to pending administrative rulings by Italian and European courts.
Opposition left-wing parties and some legal experts have criticized the draft legislation, arguing that it does not adequately address migration challenges and may conflict with international agreements.
According to Italy’s Interior Ministry, 1,938 irregular migrants have reached Italian shores by sea so far this year, compared with 66,296 recorded in 2025.
Since 2022, the Meloni government has passed a series of migration-focused legal reforms with parliamentary support, including stricter oversight of nongovernmental organizations involved in sea rescues, harsher penalties for human traffickers, and faster deportation procedures for rejected asylum seekers.
The Central Mediterranean route, linking Italy, Malta, Libya, and Tunisia, remains one of Europe’s busiest corridors for irregular migration. Migrants departing mainly from North Africa often rely on European nongovernmental organizations for rescues after issuing distress calls at sea. NGOs have occasionally faced obstacles in disembarking rescued migrants due to restricted access to designated EU safe ports.
Since 2023, new regulations by the Meloni government have complicated NGO rescue operations in Italian waters. Migrants who survive the Mediterranean crossing or are rescued typically first arrive in Europe via Italy’s Lampedusa Island—the closest Italian territory to North Africa—or Malta.
Each year, numerous irregular migrants die attempting the Mediterranean crossing due to overcrowded boats, rough seas, dehydration, lack of air, or exhaust gas poisoning.
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