Gianluca Cesaro

Italian citizenship referendum: this weekend, Italy has a chance to change thousands of lives for the better and secure their residence status. We hope Italians will choose welcoming and belonging 💚🤍❤️

New data on how many people were criminalised across the EU simply for helping others in need. Crucial read as the EU is negotiating a new Directive that risks bringing even more people to trial.

People rely on smuggling because they have no better options to come to Europe. Cracking down on alleged smugglers - often migrants themselves - doesn't create better options.

Our latest op-ed:

New Returns Regulation ushers in dystopian detention and deportation regime  - PICUM On 11th March, the European Commission published a new draft law to step up and speed up deportations of undocumented people across Europe.  This proposal has been rushed through under political press...

From deportation hubs to entry bans, we tell you all that's wrong with the new EU proposal to escalate deportations across Europe. Our press release:

EU to expand deportation regime as Europe turns against migrants A new EU-wide deportation regime is set to be unveiled by the European Commission on Tuesday, raising alarm among rights defenders as the bloc continues its political push to crack down on migration.

The European Commission has huge narrative firepower when it presents new legislation. This morning, with @picumofficial.bsky.social @amnestyeu.bsky.social + Equinox we set the record straight in a press briefing BEFORE a new deportation law is put out. Great to see first media reports trickling in.

Even altruistic rescuers risk lengthy prison under draft EU bill, warns study A European Parliament study has raised alarm over a counter-smuggling EU bill that may lead to lengthy prison sentences for people helping prospective asylum seekers.

A new European Parliament study asks the European Commission to withdraw proposed rules to tackle migrant ‘smuggling’, as they risk leading to increased criminalisation of migrants and those who help them. We spoke to @euobserver.com.

Episode 68: EU plans to criminalise solidarity with refugees In this episode, we speak with Yasha Maccanico a researcher and journalist at StateWatch, a UK-based charity focused on civil liberties, human rights and democracy in Europe.  We talk about a …

Great episode from @thecivilfleet.bsky.social with @yaswmac.bsky.social on the soaring criminalisation of migration and solidarity with migrants in Europe. Sadly very timely as the EU is now negotiating a new Facilitation Directive that risks worsening things.

And only hours after this meeting, @euronews.com's @eleonoravasques.bsky.social scooped a report confirming the Commission will be including provisions around "return hubs" (aka deportation centres) in the new draft Returns Directive. Grim opening for more Italy-Albania-like deals.

The EU swallows Putin's bait on migration Few would argue Belarus and Russia are not pushing people over the borders with Finland, Poland and the Baltic states. But the EU's security-centric narrative against migrants and asylum seekers, whil...

"in its quest to curtail irregular migration while safeguarding rights and EU values, the European Union is falling into Putin's trap: namely, that the West is corrupted by hypocrisy"
- compellingly clear words from @nikolajnielsen.bsky.social on the "instrumentalisation of migration"

How immigration is used as a political weapon – video Josh Toussaint-Strauss explores how immigration can be exploited for business, to boost political agendas, and as a weapon of war

"keeping immigration high on the political agenda is something that can be exploited in all sorts of ways"

Compelling short video from @theguardian.com

How EU countries will apply the EU Migration Pact is an incredibly opaque process. We're proud to join this letter to the European Commission to demand national implementation plans are made public.

And solidarity to the @euractiv.com journalists who do amazing work every day and have to confront this in their own newsroom.

I've been working in NGO comms in Brussels for over 6 years and I don't remember ever seeing the Editor-in-Chief of one of the biggest Brussels outlets mocking human rights groups because they denounce blatant Islamophobia. Solidarity to our friends @enareurope.bsky.social @amnestyeu.bsky.social.

Super interesting investigation into workplace accidents of migrant workers. Perfect timing as at PICUM we'll look this year into health and safety provisions for undocumented workers.

Will Mass Deportation Be A Moneymaker For Private Prisons? Shortly after the election, during CoreCivic’s quarterly earnings conference call with its investors, its President and Chief Operating Officer, Damon Hininger, commen...

One of the few cases where a headline ending with a question mark can be answered with a "yes".

Fortress Europe: what will migration policy look like in 2025? | Context Europe is set to crack down on smuggling, fast-track deportations and boost border controls to rein in migration in 2025

Deportation centres outside the EU, further criminalisation of migration and solidarity with migrants, walls and automated borders... grim recap by @jogill.bsky.social of what the EU may do on migration in 2025.

And here we are! Do give us a follow for regular updates on our work on irregularised migration.

2024, otro año de guerra contra las personas que migran El concepto “deportación” ha protagonizado la retórica migratoria durante un año en el que desde Europa, a Estados Unidos, pasando por Japón o Sudáfrica, los estados receptores de personas en movimien...

Great recap piece on @elsaltodiario.com about where the EU is going on migration. Nice to see many of PICUM's perspectives reflected, including around the Italy-Albania deal, the criminalisation of solidarity with migrants and the new EU ban on forced labour products.

Telling hint of how the EU is turning towards militarist approaches to migration.

The story isn't over, as the European Parliament will have to agree on its own position start of 2025. DMs are open for any reporter looking into this story.

La UE aprieta a las ONG: planea retirar la 'cláusula humanitaria' que permite no criminalizar la asistencia a los migrantes El Gobierno se opone a un texto que elimina del articulado la posibilidad de que los países no sancionen la asistencia humanitaria a los migrantes. España ve problemas técnicos y también rechaza el me...

El Diario, Spain

España se desmarca de la criminalización a la ayuda a migrantes que plantea la UE El nuevo reglamento da carta blanca a los países europeos para que persigan a las ONG que ayudan a las personas en búsqueda de protección internacional.

Público, Spain

La UE vota una nueva norma que amenaza con castigar las labores de rescate a migrantes La normativa permitiría a cada país imponer el mismo castigo a los socorristas de un barco de salvamento, al pasajero de un cayuco o a contrabandistas con ánimo de lucro

El País, Spain, with the great @lolahierro.bsky.social

EU nations agree a crackdown on migrant smugglers. Some fear it may target people trying to help European Union countries have agreed a draft law aimed at preventing and countering migrant smuggling, which critics say could be abused to target people or charity groups that try to help migrants in...

Washington Post

Will Georgia’s presidential election test its EU ties? On Saturday, the Georgian parliament will elect a new president, while EU leaders worry that the choice may signal further distancing from the EU.

Euronews' morning podcast Radio Schuman (second block), with thanks to @eleonoravasques.bsky.social

EU states to vote on smuggling rules amid fears of harming migrants and aid efforts The proposal introduces an offence targeting "public instigation," addressing those who deliberately encourage migrants to violate EU migration laws.

Euractiv, with thanks to @nicolettaionta.bsky.social

EU nations agree a crackdown on migrant smugglers. Some fear it may target people trying to help European Union countries have agreed a draft law aimed at preventing and countering migrant smuggling, which critics say could be abused to target people or charity groups that try to help migrants in...

Happy to see so many news outlets today covering our criticism against the EU Council voting on a text that threatens people helping migrants. Starting with AP, some more in thread 👇

Migrant smuggling: member states reach agreement on criminal law The Council has reached a general approach on a directive to prevent and counter migrant smuggling.

Just adopted: the EU Council has voted on its position on migrant smuggling rules (the new Facilitation Directive), which fails to exempt solidarity with migrants from criminalisation. Another step in the wrong direction.

Migrant smuggling: EU Council set to vote on text threatening people helping migrants - PICUM On 13th December 2024, the EU Council will vote on new EU rules about migrant smuggling which would leave the door open to the criminalisation of migrants and solidarity with migrants. The vote marks ...

Beyond restrictions to asylum, the EU Council is set to vote tomorrow on a text that would increase even more the criminalisation of solidarity with migrants (and migrants themselves). Our press release 👇

'Invisible' refugee children caught in Europe's migration red tape | Context More children are taking perilous routes to reach safety in Europe but rights groups warn the bloc is ill-equipped to help them

Amid Europe's crackdown on migrants, children seeking safety are ever more at risk of harm and abuse. We spoke to @contextnewsroom.bsky.social about what the Migration Pact will do for them. (spoiler: not a lot)