thanks to the many people who spoke to me for this story, and patiently explained the complex legal and logistical challenges -- special shoutout to @andreinadeleo.bsky.social whose help was invaluable!

Italy has built two facilities that will process and house migrants, creating a kind of fictional border zone in Albania. The scheme has failed so far, but Italy has not given up -- and efforts by Western governments to outsource or externalize migration are not going away.