Sign in

Lorenzo Piccoli

@lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social
2.6K followers 1.3K following 327 posts

Part-time Assistant Professor at the Migration Policy Centre and School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute. Migration studies, asylum, citizenship.

PostsRepliesMedia
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The Deportation Project is a joint investigation of 24 media outlets coordinated by Forbidden Stories. The consortium interviewed more than 100 people affected by, or involved in deportations from the United States. The evidence collected is extraordinary. forbiddenstories.org/the-deportat...
forbiddenstories.org
The Deportation Project Map
Between 2025 and August 2026, the Trump administration deported over 25,000 people to countries other than their country of origin. Very few of these removals were publicly announced by the US. The De...
161
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Migration Observatory @migobs.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
In July, 43% of the public said immigration was an important issue affecting the UK, more than any other topic. Take a look at our updated public attitudes briefing to see how views vary towards different migrant groups and who is more likely to hold positive/negative attitudes toward immigration.
135
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The Italian police searched 23 doctors across nine cities on suspicion of having helped migrants avoid being sent to detention in repatriation centres by falsely certifying them to be ill. Prosecutors have ruled out financial gain for the doctors involved. www.infomigrants.net/en/post/7377...
infomigrants.net
Italy: Protests continue over doctors under investigation for 'helping' irregular migrants
Reports from Italy indicate that some doctors in the country are being investigated on suspicion of having 'helped' migrants avoid being sent to detention centers — by falsely certifying them to be il...
001
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
In Kenya there have been xenophobic attacks on foreign shop-owners after president Ruto said that all foreign nationals operating small businesses had until 7 September to pack up shop, saying such low-level jobs should be reserved for Kenyans. www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Kenyan crackdown on foreign traders prompts fear: 'It's like a dog set loose on us'
The authorities have struggled to contain the fallout, as frightened migrants flee the country.
120
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Jorge Liboreiro @jorgeliboreiro.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Italy has extended for an additional 15 days its air and maritime border checks with Spain, introduced last month after Ceuta. “Significant internal security risks persist, alongside potential dangers linked to possible terrorist infiltration,” ministry says.
061
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
James McLeod @jamespmcleod.ca · 14/09/2026
A nation of nerds. www.canada.ca/en/statistic...
canada.ca
Statistics Canada thanks Canadians for their exceptional participation in the 2026 Census - Canada.ca
Thanks to outstanding participation across the country, the final response rate for the Canadian census is among the highest ever recorded.
89618
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
As we begin a new academic year at the @eui-stg.bsky.social, I chose Josef Schulz’s image of an abandoned border post as a reminder that transnational governance can create barriers to human movement through deportation agreements and externalised border controls, but can also remove them.
090
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Maarten Vink @maartenpvink.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Oh no... Now also Ireland is planning to increase the residence requirement for naturalisation (from 5 to 8 years)?? If this goes through it would be a pretty dramatic move. Justification rests on picking the most restrictive examples across Europe... www.gov.ie/en/departmen...
177
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Nigeria’s parliament said its lawmakers would stop travelling to South Africa, in protest at violence against Nigerians and other African migrants. Up to 98 Nigerians have died in attacks linked to anti-migrant hostility there since 2022. www.reuters.com/world/africa...
reuters.com
Nigeria parliament boycotts South Africa events over anti-migrant attacks
Nigeria's parliament has suspended official visits to South Africa and ordered lawmakers to boycott South African-hosted legislative activities, ​citing reports of attacks on Nigerians and other Afric...
021
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Migration Policy Group @migpolgroup.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
It's rough out there! Civil society & migrant communities are under pressure. That's why we're so excited to open the call for one of our most inspiring initiatives: the 4th Democracy Academy ❤️‍🔥 Led by (migrant) speakers, it is a space for training, knowledge-sharing and networking > bit.ly/46jS6ZX
011
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
This is well worth reading. Disinformation blooms when information is scarce. "The informational vulnerability is a product of a legal architecture that offers almost no authoritative, usable answer to the question of who may enter and how."
01311
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Jorge Liboreiro @jorgeliboreiro.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Bombshell in Spain: A police report has concluded that the Ceuta crisis was planned and steered by Moroccan authorities to violate the Spanish border under the guise of a migratory wave. The findings directly contradict the Spanish goverment, which has blamed smugglers, rather than Morocco.
elespanol.com
La Policía informa a la juez que la invasión de Ceuta fue guiada por gendarmes marroquíes a las órdenes de agentes de paisano con un fin distinto al migratorio
El CENIF, unidad de inteligencia de la Comisaría de Extranjería, comunica a la magistrada Tardón que fue un proceso planificado para colapsar el sistema de control fronterizo y eliminar la capacidad d...
37341
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
This study finds that scientific papers derived from a health and nutrition data set were about four a year between 2014 and 2021. In the first nine months of 2024, there were 190. What changed? The widespread adoption of AI, in not very good ways. www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
medrxiv.org
Dramatic increases in redundant publications in the Generative AI era
Background Redundant publication, the practice of submitting the same or substantially overlapping manuscripts multiple times, distorts the scientific record and wastes resources. Since 2022, publicat...
062
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Migration Policy Institute @migrationpolicy.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Ghana’s diaspora is a major economic force. In 2025, remittances amounted to 6% of GDP But emigration creates tradeoffs. The departure of health-care workers and other highly skilled Ghanaians has raised concerns about brain drain Our article details: bit.ly/4zBhWWF
bit.ly
Ghana’s Migration Trends Reflect West African Ties and Global Connections
Ghana’s migration policies have sought to promote mobility within West Africa while fostering ties with the diaspora and managing the tradeoffs of emigration.
001
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Jorge Liboreiro @jorgeliboreiro.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Italy has informed the European Commission that it will extend border checks with Spain for another 15 days. The checks were introduced in reaction to the Ceuta border crisis. Spain retaliated in kind.
1104
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Asia-Pacific is bucking the global travel slowdown due to the war in Iran. @iata.org says summer flight bookings rose 33% in the region. Incheon Airport in South Korea saw transit traffic jump 18% making it, preliminarily, the world’s busiest airport for international passengers in 2026.
010
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
We have updated the Migration Movies Database, which now includes 700+ documentaries, movies, and series globally. The database is designed to serve as a resource for anyone interested in incorporating movies into teaching, learning, and public discourse. migrationpolicycentre.eu/project/migr...
migrationpolicycentre.eu
Migration Movies Database - Migration Policy Centre
This Migration Movies Database brings together screen works that tell stories of migration and human movement from1940 until 2025.
0168
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Why should all potential deportees be black? The largest immigrant communities in Italy are from Albania, Romania, Morocco, Ukraine, China, and Bangladesh. Oh, wait, I think we know the answer. This is some openly racist propaganda next to my door in Florence.
040
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
The years 2024 and 2025 were the deadliest for reporters worldwide since records by the Committee to Protect Journalists began in 1992. In these last two years, attacks by the government of Israel were responsible for 70% of the deaths of journalists worldwide. tinyurl.com/msh8sbtc
tinyurl.com
Explore CPJ's database of attacks on the press
Latest press freedom news from around the globe.
051
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
A difficult trade-off facing Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni could prove crucial ahead of next year’s elections. Excellent thread on it by @dralbertazziuk.bsky.social.
000
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
For the last seven months straight, the U.S. government has refused to process immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries around the world; including visas for spouses of U.S. citizens. Today, a federal judge ruled the policy flagrantly illegal.
Map of the world, with the 75 countries impacted highlighted in yellow. They include countries in South America like Brazil and Venezuela, about half of all African countries, and most Middle Eastern countries.
8347911699
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
I am afraid this message will fall flat, but: What is one recent podcast episode on migration you would recommend? (I am adding some complementary, up-to-date resources to my syllabus on Migration Governance, due to start next month).
220
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
An interesting piece on the growing role of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in U.S. third-country deportations, raising the question of whether IOM’s involvement might help normalise a deportation machine. passblue.com/2026/06/30/h...
passblue.com
How a UN Agency Helps to Enable the US Policy on Third-Country Deportees - PassBlue
How a UN Agency Helps to Enable the US Policy on Third-Country Deportees - PassBlue
042
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
In July, energy consumption in Italy grew by 8,3% (!) compared to the same period in 2025, largely driven by the increase in use if air conditioning. www.milanofinanza.it/news/terna-c...
milanofinanza.it
Terna, consumi elettrici record a luglio per il caldo eccezionale | MilanoFinanza News
La domanda vola a 32,5 TWh (+8,3% rispetto all'anno precedente), trainata dal caldo estremo e dalla ripresa dell’industria. Il paradosso del mix energetico: la quota delle rinnovabili scende al 4...
010
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
And still, virtually no political party in Europe has any sensitive proposal/idea of how to fight against global warming.
051
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Why did 60,000 people attempt to cross a tightly controlled border in Ceuta in a single day? Here, I argue that this would have been impossible without at least some acquiescence by the authorities. Another reminder that externalised border controls can backfire. www.dw.com/en/fact-chec...
dw.com
Fact check: Did disinformation trigger the Ceuta crisis?
More than 70 people died after thousands of migrants tried to cross from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. The crossings have been linked to misleading claims about a recent Spanish Supreme C...
041
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
What a sad and surreal piece of theatre.
3177
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Italy has ordered the suspension of free movement with Spain following the arrival of more than 50,000 people from Morocco into Ceuta. But is this necessary?
2174
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Munich Airport will build a migrant deportation facility, which will be leased to the federal government and used by the federal police. The terminal is intended to increase the number of deportations carried out from Germany. www.infomigrants.net/en/post/7250...
infomigrants.net
Munich Airport to build migrant deportation terminal
Munich Airport will build a migrant deportation facility, which will then be subsequently leased to the federal government and used by the federal police. The terminal is intended to increase the numb...
011
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
It is always sad to bid farewell at the end of these two weeks at the @mpc-eui.bsky.social. It took us only two weeks to create a community. We will now scatter around the world, but many of these human connections will last a lifetime. Long live the Migration Summer School!
070
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Looking for a simple trick to reduce human mobility? The United States is cutting the number of visa-processing embassies and consulates in Africa from 50 to 20. Nearly half the continent’s population will need to travel to another country to obtain a US visa. Via @thecontinent.org
051
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Capital buys mobility that most people will never have: wealthy individuals are increasingly shopping for second passports and tax-friendly residencies. This creates difficult questions: should citizenship become a luxury good? Can governments vet applicants? www.economist.com/business/202...
economist.com
The world’s wealthy are migrating like never before
A booming industry of advisers is easing their passage
050
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Cambridge University Press Political Science & IR @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org · 23/06/2026
#OpenAccess from @epsrjournal.bsky.social - Not all migrants are equal: public support for migrant welfare access by migrant type and social protection scheme - cup.org/44hn5Vj - Samir Mustafa Negash, @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social & @alexandreafonso.bsky.social #FirstView
Logo of the European Political Science Review, featuring the acronym 'EPSR' in large letters with the full name underneath and the hashtag '#OpenAccess' at the bottom, all set against a dual-tone background.
012
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
The 22nd Migration Summer School is underway! 23 participants from 21 countries. 19 speakers from 13 countries. 10 days. First challenge: describe your workday in one word. The answers? Fieldwork, data, protection, triage, stress, grant-making, adrenaline, chaos, emergency... and “bureaucrazy”.
040
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
European Political Science Review @epsrjournal.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
"Not all migrants are equal" 🥇 🥈 🥉 @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social, @fggaleiden.bsky.social's Samir Negash & @alexandreafonso.bsky.social drawn on experiments from Germany and the UK to evaluate the deservingness of citizens and different migrant categories across 4 welfare schemes buff.ly/EUExGVs
cambridge.org
Not all migrants are equal: public support for migrant welfare access by migrant type and social protection scheme | European Political Science Review | Cambridge Core
Not all migrants are equal: public support for migrant welfare access by migrant type and social protection scheme
013
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
When people think about migrants and welfare, they often ask a simple question: Should migrants have access to social benefits? Our new paper with @alexandreafonso.bsky.social and Samir Negash suggests the answer is much more nuanced. @epsrjournal.bsky.social. tinyurl.com/exntas9d 🧵 1/6
1134
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Alexandre Afonso @alexandreafonso.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Very happy to see this out on perceptions of welfare deservingness for different categories of migrants, together with @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social and Samir Negash @fggaleiden.bsky.social, open access in EPSR:
23615
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
The Migration Movies Database is now available on @letterboxd.social. This list gathers 600+ films about human movement from 1940 to today: refugees, labour migration, diaspora, border crossing, discrimination, return, and irregular migration. letterboxd.com/lorenzo_picc...
letterboxd.com
Migration movies
Migration is one of cinema’s oldest stories: journeys, borders, exile, belonging, survival, reinvention. This list is based on the Migration Movies Database, a research project by the Migration Policy...
073
Reposted by Lorenzo Piccoli
Cas Mudde @casmudde.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Great @playthegame-org.bsky.social read on the African soccer infrastructure, FIFA payments, and the rise of "diaspora teams" in Africa.
playthegame.org
Behind the stadium boom: Why foreign-born players fill African football teams
A wave of stadium upgrades across Africa coincides with a growing share of Europe-born footballers representing African nations. Steffany Ndei examines how CAF regulations, state interests, and federa...
1155
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Videos collected by @nytimes.com shows how the Israeli military has deployed white phosphorous, a weapon that can be extremely harmful, over populated areas in Lebanon. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/06/w...
nytimes.com
What Visual Evidence Tells Us About Israel’s Use of White Phosphorus in Lebanon
030
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
This wonderful resource, with a slightly complicated name (ENRMSC Hub), connects refugees, migrants, and stateless individuals and provides a catalogue of up-to-date opportunities for education and employment. hub.enrmsc.org/about
hub.enrmsc.org
ENRMSC Hub — Opportunities for Changemakers
Join the ENRMSC Hub — connecting migrants, refugees, and changemakers with scholarships, fellowships, jobs, grants, and more worldwide.
000
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
EU and Schengen countries received nearly 12 million applications for short-stay visas in 2025, marking a 1.8% increase from 2024. Yet, visa demand remains well below the 17 million applications recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/schenge...
home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
Schengen short-stay Visa applications rise in 2025 but remain below pre-pandemic levels
According to figures released by the Commission, EU and Schengen-associated countries received nearly 12 million applications for short-stay visas in 2025, marking a 1.8% increase from 2024. However, ...
010
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Visa outsourcing giant VFS Global built a multi-billion-dollar business on people who need visas. A @lighthousereports.com investigation finds aggressive selling, data protection failures, and applicants being pushed into paying for “optional” services. www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...
lighthousereports.com
The Visa Empire: Borders as a Business
Outsourcing giant VFS Global has made huge profits by exploiting people around the world whose ‘weak’ passports require them to apply for visas to travel
053
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
We have updated the Migration Movies Database: it now includes more than 600 movies on migration produced globally between 1940 and 2025. migrationpolicycentre.eu/project/migr...
migrationpolicycentre.eu
Migration Movies Database - Migration Policy Centre
This Migration Movies Database brings together screen works that tell stories of migration and human movement from1940 until 2025.
0110
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Congo will remove visa requirements for all African nationals from 2027, joining Benin, Togo, Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, and Seychelles in opening its borders to Africans. Yet, flying within Africa still costs nearly 50% more than comparable distances elsewhere. www.africanews.com/2026/05/26/c...
africanews.com
Congo throws open its borders to Africa | Africanews
From January 1, 2027, the Republic of Congo will abolish visa requirements for all African citizens, marking a major step toward continental integration. Announced in Brazzaville by President Denis Sa...
010
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
«The UAE does not disclose detailed statistics on foreign residents but estimates suggest that before the war perhaps 3m-4m of the country’s 12m people were well-heeled outsiders and their families.» economist.com/finance-and-...
economist.com
Where expat escapees from Dubai end up
Will they ever return?
030
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
The Trump administration is creating a global network of countries willing to accept deportees. The numbers are still small, but the threat of being sent to places like, say, Equatorial Guinea or Angola is designed to scare people away from the United States. www.economist.com/united-state...
economist.com
Donald Trump’s bold new deportation machine
Coming to America, going to Angola
001
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Digital media amplifies the reach and consequences of disinformation targeting minorities and migrants. The new training by @edmo-eu.bsky.social covers narratives, case studies across Europe, and how to counter falsehoods. Register for free. 13 May 2026, 14:00-16:00. edmo.eu/training/edm...
edmo.eu
EDMO Training Series on Identity-Based Disinformation Module 1: Identity-based disinformation about minorities and migrants – EDMO
061
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Great to read that #MPCSummerSchool at @mpc-eui.bsky.social helped spark the new book by @kudavan.bsky.social: Can Migration Studies be Decolonized? The book is now out and already making waves. bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/can-migratio...
bristoluniversitypress.co.uk
Can Migration Studies be Decolonized?
Can Migration Studies be Decolonized?; What does it really mean to “decolonize” migration studies? This book asks hard questions about theory vs practice, showing how decolonial approaches can both tr...
021
Lorenzo Piccoli @lorenzopiccoli.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
A recent Eurostat publication shows a decrease of 27% in the number of first-time asylum applications in the EU compared with 2024, with most applications being lodged in Spain, Italy, France, and Germany. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-memb...
home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
EU Member States saw a 27% drop in first-time asylum applications in 2025
A recent Eurostat publication revealed a 27% decrease in first-time asylum applications in the EU between 2024 and 2025. Five EU countries accounted for 83% of all first-time asylum applicants while f...
020