New laws make illegal immigration punishable by up to four years in jail and say that suspected illegal immigrants can be held for up to 18 months in detention centers. Amnesty International has also called on the Italian government to investigate arson attacks on two Roma communities in the past month.
The new attitude isn't surprising when you look at the new Italian government. Silvio Berlusconi is back for his third tour as Prime Minister, leading a coalition that includes the Northern League and Alleanza Nazionale. The Northern League has long railed against foreigners (which by their definition can include some southern Italians), while the BBC describes the Alleanza Nazionale as a "post-Fascist" party. The new mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, who is also a member of Alleanza Nazionale, was greeted with chants of "Il Duce" - the nickname of the WWII Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini - and Mussolini-era Fascist salutes.
Berlusconi's coalition pledged during the campaign to tackle illegal immigration, while Alemanno said he would expel 20,000 from Rome if elected mayor.
What will be interesting is to see if the European Union makes any comments about Italy. The EU has made human rights and the protection of minority groups two of its core principles. They have even held up the entry of some nations into the bloc because the EU felt the countries were not doing enough to protect their minority groups. I wonder if the EU will be as willing to call out one of its core members?
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