*Field notes, March 2024* ## Periphery and yet central - Pozzallo's role in the European migration regime Pozzallo is located in the very south of Sicily and therefore on the periphery of the periphery of Europe. Only the Mediterranean Sea comes next. And yet the place is central to the European migration regime, as it is one of the ports to which a particularly large number of migrants are brought when they are apprehended at sea. In 2016, one of the first so-called 'hotspots' was set up here. These are collective accommodations that were conceived at EU level as a result of the so-called 'refugee crisis' of 2015 and subsequently set up in Greece and Italy. One difference to previous approaches is the inclusion of a European level through the involvement of Frontex. This is primarily about the identification of arriving people (including fingerprinting) and subsequent redistribution, depending on which category they fall into. As I am currently doing field research in Sicily, I took the opportunity to take a look at this hotspot structure myself. I think it is absolutely essential to have seen the things you write about for yourself. Assessments can also be based on the knowledge of others (and are often the only possibility), but your own view is indispensable. In Pozzallo, the hotspot is right next to the customs building at the port. Access is not possible easily. Instead, there is a large fence around it with access control on one side. ![[pozzallo-IMG_7653.jpg]] *"Welcome greetings" in the hotspot* ![[pozzallo-IMG_7656.jpg]] *The entrance gate to the Pozzallo hotspot* ![[pozzallo-IMG_7654.jpg]] *A view of the facility from the outside* ## The deportation prison However, the hotspot is not the only structure in Pozzallo. Since autumn 2023, there has also been a deportation prison (CPR) for people who are not given any prospects of staying because they come from supposedly safe third countries. This facility is located on a hill in the industrial area of Pozzallo and is rather difficult to reach on foot - and is not signposted in any way. Nevertheless, you can find it on Google Maps: [CPR Pozzallo on Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=CPR+Pozzallo+centro+di+permanenza+per+i+rimpatri) After an hour's walk, I was at least close enough to take a photo. However, as there was a jeep with two policemen on the road, I decided to take photos from a distance. They probably wouldn't have been very cooperative anyway. ![[pozzallo-IMG_7670.jpg]] ![[pozzallo-IMG_7669.jpg]] You can see individual mini containers with air conditioning units on the roof, as they are standing in the blazing sun. I assume that these are the individual cells. By the way, the journey between the hotspot and the CPR only takes about 10 minutes by car - so you could be cynical and claim that the European anti-immigrant system is well integrated in Pozzallo.