Italy curbs anti-immigration measures in face of attacks

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2008

ROME (AFP) — Silvio Berlusconi's new Italian government has sought to deflect criticism over its hardline stance on immigrant illegality ahead of new rules being announced on Wednesday.

The plans have brought a fiery attack from Spain, triggering a war of words between Rome and Madrid, but also worried Italians fearful of seeing household employees summarily deported.

New rules on immigration, whether clandestine or concerning legal European Union immigrants who subsequently commit crimes on Italian soil, will be outlined in Naples, where the Berlusconi cabinet's first meeting also has a blazing garbage crisis to address.

On Monday, Italian press reports indicated that Rome was backtracking after last week's crackdown which saw hundreds of foreign nationals...