Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and X, took to social media on November 11 to criticise Italian judges who blocked a migrant transfer arrangement between Italy and Albania, writing, “These judges need to go.”

The court ruling Musk referred to blocked the detention of seven migrants, who had been transferred to Albania as part of Italy’s recently established migrant processing hubs. The plan, promoted by Italy’s right-wing government, seeks to reduce migrant flows by holding men from specific “safe” countries in Albanian facilities while their asylum applications are processed. 

The Italian government has invested €670mn into the facilities, which operate under Italian jurisdiction, with Albanian guards responsible for external security. 

However, Italian judges ruled that the group of migrants, citizens of Egypt and Bangladesh, could not be detained in Albania and ordered their transfer back to Italy.

The decision follows an earlier judgment on October 18, when the same court rejected the detention of 12 other migrants sent to Albania. Both cases have fueled heated debate over the legality of Italy’s deal with Albania, and the courts have now referred the issue to the European Court of Justice for further review.

Musk, responding to a post on X by Mario Nawfal, a prominent social media figure, added his voice to the growing criticism of Italy’s judiciary from rightwing politicians within the country. As of early afternoon on November 12, the post had racked up almost 200,000 views. 

The move is the latest instance of Musk commenting on immigration policies, having previously aligned himself with other conservative and nationalist leaders, most notably US president-elect Donald Trump. 

Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister, called the judges’ rulings “political”, adding, “This is not a sentence against the government but against Italians and their security”. Salvini and other Italian officials argue that the court’s decision undermines the government’s right to manage migration within the EU’s framework.

The Albanian scheme was launched in October with the potential to process up to 3,000 male migrants per month, adding up to as many as 36,000 a year. Vulnerable individuals, women, and children are processed within Italy. 

However legal challenges have hindered its implementation, and Italy’s government under Giorgia Meloni, which has described the deal with Albania as a potential model for the EU, has faced increasing pushback from Italian courts over its migration policies.

Only 24 migrants have been transferred to Albania since the scheme began, and all have since been ordered to be returned to Italy.

Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania has defended the plan, emphasising Albania’s role in aiding EU migration efforts and, like Meloni, describing the deal as a possible model for other European countries. 

Italy is a key trading partner for Albania, and Rome’s support is seen as critical as Tirana pursues EU accession. However, the deal has also met with criticism within Albania, having been challenged by opposition parties.