Italys immigration debate intensifies

Last week, the Italian government announced that it will work to cut the number of unskilled immigrants. About 24,241 illegal immigrants came to Italy between January and September of this year, reflecting a massive influx to the country.

In July, the Italian government declared a state of emergency due to the high level of illegal immigration, largely from Africa. The following month, soldiers were deployed across the country in an effort to stop crime that has been blamed on illegal immigrants. Even the pope has weighed in on the issue.

More than 3.5 million foreign-born people currently live in Italy.
Worldfocus correspondent Martin Seemungal heads to the northern town of Treviso, where gunslinging mayor Giancarlo Gentilini has brought order to the town and cracked down on illegal immigration, even as accusations of racism linger.

Bloggers in Italy and around the world assess the countrys debate on immigration here: http://worldfocus.org/blog/2008/11/19/italys-immigration-debate-intensifies/2...

Worldfocus video podcast: http://feeds.feedburner.com/worldfocus

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Africa
• China
• Giancarlo
• Gentilini
• immigration
• Italy
• Martin
• Seemungal
• racism
• Silvio
• Berlusconi
• news
• Worldfocus

[TheIkawatay]

2:28 Caught in the act, picking her nose. lol!

[TheIkawatay]

I like this gunslinger italian dude hes like john wayne but the real deal, keep up the good work, the law makes us humane and just!!!

[SKOTP69]

Good on him! 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxy1]

what are all these muslims doing in europe ? they should all be deported !

[blueiguy1]

@tusepagliacco I'm the most liberal person you can meet and I agree! you can't let everybody come in .I think they should come to more organization with labor like in america. i don't condone racism as a African American but It has to be maintained in a helpful way not a racist one. Also I love the Native American sign!!!!!

[tusepagliacco]

What I see is a town wanting to hold on to their culture, customs and identity. Why is it wrong for them to want to defend that? I don't see any wrong done by the Italians for their initial feeling toward the foreign invasion. Can an illegal immigrant not be considered a foreign invader? I think so.

[andyhwang2009]

Italy and Europe Ban  Muslim immigrants and Black because they are terrorists.

[heavenseek]

Regarding the Catholic priest who opened the doors of his church to Islam.....Being clueless and irrelevant is forgivable in itself; but in a case like this it's treachery.

[nyrnyuk]

me my self am an italian who lives in america and let me tell you something ...fuck italy basterds and fuck why am i an italian dont know. but america is were i wish i was from i hated italy seance i was growing up.

[TheTollundWoman]

When you have a logic, reasonable argument against immigration in Italy or anywhere else, please feel free to share it with me. Until then, you have wasted enough of my time. So, Weidersehen.