Italian citizenship referendum: this weekend, Italy has a chance to change thousands of lives for the better and secure their residence status. We hope Italians will choose welcoming and belonging 💚🤍❤️

New data on how many people were criminalised across the EU simply for helping others in need. Crucial read as the EU is negotiating a new Directive that risks bringing even more people to trial.

People rely on smuggling because they have no better options to come to Europe. Cracking down on alleged smugglers - often migrants themselves - doesn't create better options. Our latest op-ed:

From deportation hubs to entry bans, we tell you all that's wrong with the new EU proposal to escalate deportations across Europe. Our press release:

The European Commission has huge narrative firepower when it presents new legislation. This morning, with @picumofficial.bsky.social @amnestyeu.bsky.social + Equinox we set the record straight in a press briefing BEFORE a new deportation law is put out. Great to see first media reports trickling in.

A new European Parliament study asks the European Commission to withdraw proposed rules to tackle migrant ‘smuggling’, as they risk leading to increased criminalisation of migrants and those who help them. We spoke to @euobserver.com.

Great episode from @thecivilfleet.bsky.social with @yaswmac.bsky.social on the soaring criminalisation of migration and solidarity with migrants in Europe. Sadly very timely as the EU is now negotiating a new Facilitation Directive that risks worsening things.

And only hours after this meeting, @euronews.com's @eleonoravasques.bsky.social scooped a report confirming the Commission will be including provisions around "return hubs" (aka deportation centres) in the new draft Returns Directive. Grim opening for more Italy-Albania-like deals.

"in its quest to curtail irregular migration while safeguarding rights and EU values, the European Union is falling into Putin's trap: namely, that the West is corrupted by hypocrisy" - compellingly clear words from @nikolajnielsen.bsky.social on the "instrumentalisation of migration"

"keeping immigration high on the political agenda is something that can be exploited in all sorts of ways" Compelling short video from @theguardian.com

How EU countries will apply the EU Migration Pact is an incredibly opaque process. We're proud to join this letter to the European Commission to demand national implementation plans are made public.

I've been working in NGO comms in Brussels for over 6 years and I don't remember ever seeing the Editor-in-Chief of one of the biggest Brussels outlets mocking human rights groups because they denounce blatant Islamophobia. Solidarity to our friends @enareurope.bsky.social @amnestyeu.bsky.social.

Super interesting investigation into workplace accidents of migrant workers. Perfect timing as at PICUM we'll look this year into health and safety provisions for undocumented workers.

One of the few cases where a headline ending with a question mark can be answered with a "yes".

Deportation centres outside the EU, further criminalisation of migration and solidarity with migrants, walls and automated borders... grim recap by @jogill.bsky.social of what the EU may do on migration in 2025.

And here we are! Do give us a follow for regular updates on our work on irregularised migration.

Great recap piece on @elsaltodiario.com about where the EU is going on migration. Nice to see many of PICUM's perspectives reflected, including around the Italy-Albania deal, the criminalisation of solidarity with migrants and the new EU ban on forced labour products.

Telling hint of how the EU is turning towards militarist approaches to migration.

Happy to see so many news outlets today covering our criticism against the EU Council voting on a text that threatens people helping migrants. Starting with AP, some more in thread 👇

Just adopted: the EU Council has voted on its position on migrant smuggling rules (the new Facilitation Directive), which fails to exempt solidarity with migrants from criminalisation. Another step in the wrong direction.

Beyond restrictions to asylum, the EU Council is set to vote tomorrow on a text that would increase even more the criminalisation of solidarity with migrants (and migrants themselves). Our press release 👇

Amid Europe's crackdown on migrants, children seeking safety are ever more at risk of harm and abuse. We spoke to @contextnewsroom.bsky.social about what the Migration Pact will do for them. (spoiler: not a lot)

Great recap of where the EU is going on migration these days. Besides restrictions to asylum (not only for Syrians), the Council is set to vote tomorrow on new anti-smuggling rules that would open the door to more criminalisation of solidarity with migrants.

"Part of the stated objective is to make it more difficult to live in Sweden without a permit, as well as enforce refusal-of-entry or expulsion orders," @nikolajnielsen.bsky.social reports for @euobserver.com. [Gift article]

If health care, schools and social services look to be exempted, it's largely thanks to mobilisation from teachers, doctors, librarians, trade unions and civil society like Civil Rights Defenders, @lakareivarlden.bsky.social, Swedish Red Cross @ulrikamodeer.bsky.social & others. Battle hasn't ended.

The Swedish gov released yesterday an inquiry into how it could oblige public sector workers to denounce undocumented people to the police. In Germany, civil society is fighting against a similar system. More in our interview with @sarahlincoln.bsky.social from @freiheitsrechte.org.

Crazy story we've been following for a while: in Sweden, the gov wants to oblige public sector workers to denounce undocumented people to the police. First plan was released yesterday. Journalists, get in touch to know more and understand what other European countries are doing.