Italy illegal immigrant numbers increasing

ROME, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Italian officials say the number of illegal immigrants to their nation has doubled over one year ago.

More than 15,000 illegal immigrants, mostly from North Africa, came to the European Union through Italy in the first seven months of 2008, the BBC reported Saturday.

Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, whose Northern League party has campaigned strongly against clandestine immigration, made the announcement. The right-wing coalition government of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has already attempted tough anti-immigration measures including up to four year jail sentences for entering the country illegally.

As a result, roughly 20,000 people out of the 55,000 prisoners currently in Italian jails are foreign born. Other measures have also had limited success. Expulsions have been increased by 15 percent already this year but illegal immigrants' countries of origin often won't take them back after they are deported from Italy.