Lampedusa: built to accommodate 400 people, now holds thousands of migrants

The Italian island of Lampedusa, located between Sicily and Tunisia, continues to serve as one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa in search of safety and better economic opportunities.

The island’s main reception facility, the Centro di Primo Accoglienza (First Reception Centre), was built to accommodate around 400 people. However, repeated surges in migrant arrivals have pushed the centre far beyond its intended capacity. In 2024, nearly 46,000 migrants arrived on the island, with daily arrivals frequently exceeding 1,000 people.

The overcrowding has placed severe pressure on the reception centre, commonly referred to as a “hotspot.” Originally designed for short-term reception, the facility lacks sufficient infrastructure to process large numbers of arrivals, including adequate registration areas, medical services and security screening facilities.

Human rights organisations and humanitarian agencies have reported deteriorating living conditions inside the centre, with migrants facing shortages of clean water, food and medical care. Reports have also described overcrowded sleeping areas and inadequate sanitation facilities as the number of residents regularly exceeds the centre’s capacity by three to four times.

The situation has intensified following Italy’s 2023 decision to extend the maximum administrative detention period for migrants from three months to 18 months while asylum applications and deportation procedures are processed. The government says the measure is intended to strengthen immigration enforcement and ensure compliance with national migration laws.

Critics, however, argue that prolonged detention has contributed to chronic overcrowding and transformed temporary reception centres into long-term detention facilities. They contend that extended stays have worsened humanitarian conditions and increased pressure on already limited resources.

Italy’s asylum policy also distinguishes between migrants based on their country of origin. Under national legislation, individuals from countries designated as “safe countries of origin” may have their asylum applications processed through accelerated procedures. The government’s list, which has been revised from 22 to 19 countries, includes nations considered generally free from widespread conflict.

Human rights advocates argue that the classification does not adequately account for political instability, discrimination or other forms of persecution that individuals may face despite the absence of armed conflict. They warn that relying primarily on nationality rather than individual circumstances could place vulnerable asylum seekers at risk.

Legal experts have also raised concerns that automatic detention and the return of unsuccessful asylum seekers could conflict with international refugee law. They point to the principle of non-refoulement under the 1951 Refugee Convention, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they may face persecution or threats to their lives or freedom.

Italy has recently strengthened cooperation with Tunisia and Albania through bilateral migration agreements aimed at reducing irregular migration and managing asylum procedures. Under the agreements, some migrants may be transferred to facilities outside Italy or returned to their countries of origin.

The agreements have drawn criticism from international rights groups, which cite concerns over migrants’ treatment following their return. Similar arrangements with Libya, introduced in 2017, were widely criticised after migrants returned to Libyan detention centres reported torture, violence and other serious human rights abuses.

Migration management remains a broader challenge for the European Union. Under the Dublin Regulation, asylum seekers are generally required to submit their claims in the first EU country they enter, placing significant responsibility on frontline states such as Italy, Greece and Spain.

Although other EU member states may voluntarily accept relocated asylum seekers, there is currently no binding relocation mechanism across the bloc. The EU adopted a new Pact on Migration and Asylum in May 2024, but observers note that disagreements over mandatory burden-sharing among member states remain unresolved.

Analysts say both immediate and long-term measures will be required to ease pressure on Lampedusa.

In the short term, expanding Italy’s reception capacity through additional temporary centres could help reduce overcrowding. Existing facilities in Pozzallo, Messina and Taranto currently receive transfers from Lampedusa, but their combined capacity remains limited compared with the number of daily arrivals.

Humanitarian organisations have also called for increased European Union funding, additional medical personnel and greater logistical support to improve migrant registration, healthcare and psychological services. They have highlighted the role of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in providing interpretation services, legal information and refugee protection.

Long-term proposals include expanding legal migration pathways, strengthening international cooperation to combat human smuggling networks and improving search-and-rescue coordination across the Mediterranean.

Many migration experts also argue that reforming the Dublin Regulation and establishing a binding EU-wide relocation system would distribute responsibility more evenly among member states and reduce pressure on frontline countries.

As migrant arrivals continue, Lampedusa remains at the centre of Europe’s migration debate, balancing humanitarian obligations with the practical challenges of managing one of the Mediterranean’s busiest migration routes.