Italy Transfers Rejected Asylum Seekers to Albanian Detention Centers

The first group of 40 migrants was sent to Italian-run facilities in Albania under a new policy, raising legal and human rights concerns.

Italian authorities transferred 40 rejected asylum seekers from Brindisi to detention centers in Albania on April 11, 2025.
The Albanian facilities, initially intended for processing intercepted migrants, have been repurposed to detain failed asylum seekers awaiting deportation.
This policy shift follows a decree approved last month by Italy's government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, to expand the centers' use.
Legal experts and rights groups question the legality of transferring migrants to a non-EU country, citing a lack of clear legislative authorization.
The centers had remained largely unused since their 2023 opening due to legal challenges, but the government hopes to avoid further court interventions.