EU pledges crackdown on 'brutal' migrant smuggling during visit to overwhelmed Italian island

Share Comment on this story CommentMILAN — EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged the swift return of “irregular” migrants and a crackdown on the “brutal business” of migrant smuggling Sunday during a visit with Italy’s premier to a tiny fishing island overwhelmed with nearly 7,000 arrivals in a single day this week. Not the smugglers,’’ von der Leyen declared after touring the island’s hotspot. AdvertisementVon der Leyen also called on EU nations to accept voluntary transfers — a frequent source of discord — as the EU dispatches experts to help manage and register the high number of migrants arriving in Italy. So we are in this together,’’ von der Leyen said. In other shots, single migrants climbed over the fence of the migrant centerThe crisis is challenging unity within the EU and also Meloni’s far-right-led government.