Abstract

As expected, the populist far-right government that took office last autumn was quick to launch an offensive on immigration issues. After a first decree focused on contrasting the rescue actions of NGOs (no. 1/2023), the tragedy of Cutro at the end of February has turned into a window of opportunity to promote a new and broader decree (no. 20/2023).This article critically presents the main novelties introduced by the so-called Cutro decree (now enacted law), highlighting the attempt to restore the punitive measures introduced by the Salvini decree in 2018. Overall, the new law introduces a set of inorganic changes on heterogeneous issues, which prove the absence of a vision on the complex issue of immigration. As a result, asylum seekers’ rights are severely curtailed.