EU states launch controversial police hunt for irregular migrantsA massive police operation dubbed ‘Mos Maiorum’ was launched by 25 European countries on Monday to detect, detain and possibly deport tens-of-thousands of so-called “irregular” migrants.
During the 14-day Operation Mos Maiorum, some 20,000 police officers will stake out border crossings, railway stations, bus depots, and highways throughout Europe to apprehend so-called irregular migrants – people living without permission.
The operation is the brainchild of the Italian presidency of the European Council.
No clear data exist on the number of irregular migrants in the European Union, but unofficial estimates range between 150,000 to 450,000 people.
Mos Maiorum is to be coordinated by the Italian Ministry of the Interior's Central Directorate for Immigration and Border Police, in “close cooperation” with the EU's border control agency Frontex. “The agency was invited by the Italian Presidency to provide support to the operation in the area of risk analysis. This means that the agency will only provide the Italian Presidency with statistics and data analysis of the migratory flows at external borders of the European Union,” Frontex said.
Frontex said the operation was not a border control operation but ‘intra-Schengen’ and of ‘police cooperation’ nature, which are not within the mandate of Frontex.
Currently it is unknown which member states have chosen to participate, but previous operations have involved the majority of member states.
According to a report on the German website Heise, the focus of the operation will be transport hubs – railway stations, motorways, roads and airports – and will involve thousands of officers.
The paper circulated to Member States' delegations in the Council outlined the main goals:
Apprehend irregular migrants and gather relevant information for intelligence and investigative purposes;
Identify, prosecute and disrupt organised crime groups;
* Give a clear and updated situation picture concerning the operational area, modus operandi, main trends and possible rapid changes in these aspects;
* Consolidate joint measures to achieve an impact on illegal immigration (border checks and border surveillance activities);
* Carry out (based on the outcomes of the risk analysis), control along the main routes of illegal immigration on the main routes followed by illegal migrant networks (within the Schengen Area and at the external borders);
* Collect and analyse information related to the so-called secondary movement.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/world/44915/_eu_states_launch_controversial_police_hunt_for_irregular_migrants#.VDzHqlfPyz4
