Thread: Italian parliament approves crime law targeting illegal immi

Italian parliament approves crime law targeting illegal immigrants
Jul 23, 2008, 12:12 GMT

Rome - Italian parliamentarians gave Wednesday final approval to a package of security laws including harsher penalties for illegal immigrants who commit crimes and speedier expulsion procedures for people entering the country illegally.

With 161 votes for to 120 against, parliament's upper house, the Senate, passed the legislation which had been tabled by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's conservative coalition. There were eight abstentions.

Berlusconi won elections in April promising a tougher stance on law and order issues and on illegal immigrants, who many Italians blame for an increase in crime.

But the main opposition centre-left Democratic Party, who voted against the package, charges it is discriminatory because it punishes illegal immigrants involved in crimes not only for what they do, but also who they are.

The package also allows the government to deploy soldiers to work alongside the police in high crime areas.
http://tinyurl.com/58dqg6

Why can't we do this? Why are our politicians such spineless wimps?

Italian immigration bill sails through parliament


Agence France-Presse
First Posted 21:45:00 07/23/2008


ROME -- Controversial measures to fight illegal immigration proposed by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's center-right government were set to become law after being approved by the Senate Wednesday.

The measures were voted in the upper house by 161 to 120 with eight abstentions, eight days after they were adopted by a vote of 322 to 267, with eight abstentions, in the Chamber of Deputies.

It took the form of a vote of confidence, a legislative strategy used to cancel out amendments to a bill. The center-left opposition had proposed around 1,200 amendments to the immigration bill as a way of stalling its passage.

The measures are opposed by the left, Roman Catholic groups and human rights organizations as well as some European bodies.

For the first time, illegal immigration will be a custodial offence in Italy, punishable by between six months and four years in prison. The new legislation also facilitates deportation.

Among the more draconian changes is the extension of the allowable detention of suspected illegal immigrants from two months to 18 months.

In addition, non-Italians convicted of crimes will face penalties one-third stiffer than those handed down to Italians.
http://tinyurl.com/6ffody

UMMMM, we should be hearing from Central America here shortly!!

Italy: Tough law approved to target illegal immigrants

Rome, 23 July (AKI) - Italy has approved a controversial new law targeting illegal immigrants with harsher penalties and swifter deportation procedures.

For the first time, illegal immigration will now be treated as an "aggravating circumstance" punishable with a custodial sentence of between six months and four years in prison.

The Italian Senate passed the new measures on Wednesday.

"Finally, we have seen an historic step forward for the care and safety of citizens," said Maurizio Gasparri, the Senate chief whip for the conservative People of Freedom Party, part of the ruling coalition.

"We have approved a decree that sharpens the penalties against illegal immigrants, the Mafia, those who drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs."

For the first time, illegal immigration will be a custodial offence in Italy, punishable by between six months and four years in prison.

The new law extends the period of time for which illegal immigrants may be detained from two to 18 months.

It also allows the government to deploy soldiers to work with police in high crime areas.

In addition, non-Italians convicted of crimes will face sentences that are one-third longer than those handed down to Italians.

The measures follow the government's election pledge to clamp down on illegal immigrants.

The bill was approved in the Senate by 161 to 120 with eight abstentions, eight days after the lower house of Parliament approved it by 322 to 267 votes.

The main opposition centre-left Democratic Party, which voted against the package, claims it is discriminatory because it allows illegal immigrants to be punished for who they are, not just what they do.

"In our view, making illegal immigration an aggravating circumstance is unconstitutional, because we cannot understand what danger to public security is posed by someone who merely lacks a permit of stay," said Anna Finocchiaro, Senate chief whip for the Democrat Party.

The measures are also opposed by Catholic groups and human rights organisations as well as some European bodies.
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Po ... 2361076387

Another country that gets it....The U.S. government remains clueless!!