Illegal Immigration: One Million illegal immigrants live in Europe

Head of the Italian Council for Refugees, Christopher Holn said Europe is threatened by an unprecedented invasion by numbers of African and illegal immigrants, adding that if given the opportunity, in the near future, the illegal immigrants will invade European countries by sea through Italy.

• “ The Italian Council for Refugees follow up with officials in Italy and a number of North African countries the phenomenon of illegal immigration which have deepened and multiplied risks, in order to search for solutions”, Christopher Holn added.
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• He asserted that the Italian authorities had deported in the past two years, hundreds of African migrants who have been arrested before their arrival to the islands of South Italy or after their landing, noting the logistic role played by Libya; “It has collaborated with the European countries, especially Italy, because it has set up centres to receive those illegal immigrants, and distinguished between two types of them.
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• “The EU countries adopt a policy of double standard in almost all files through its dealings with the Eastern European States, Russia, Arab and African countries, including the file of illegal immigration. North African countries are closer to the European Communities and in particular to southern European countries such as Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, and should be given an absolute priority in access to job opportunities and residence cards of the EU by virtue of the convergence of cultural, geographical and historical interests of present and future between nations and people of this region”.
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• “There is a non human and anti human rights nature in the control files of illegal immigration in the Mediterranean waters, and routes which lead to Italy, however, they had been justified by the high numbers of illegal immigration in Europe to about four million, including 700.000 in Italy alone. It is a real problem, particularly since some of these illegal immigrants do not succeed in obtaining a decent livelihood or in integrating into the European societies, that’s why they face problems which lead them to prisons and drug trade or joining gangs, prostitution and crime”.
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• Despite the limited number of illegal immigrants involved in criminality, the image of an African illegal immigrant was linked to violence, crime and drugs for a lot of Europeans, a false image that must be changed, said Christopher Holn.