NGOs and Health Services for Irregular Immigrants in Italy: When the Protection of Human Rights Challenges the Laws

Official policies toward irregular immigrants have hardened; but unauthorized sojourners nevertheless remain in their receiving countries. Their human rights must be in some way protected, and responses must be given to their social needs. Civil society organizations often provide these responses, in particular, by furnishing nonurgent medical care.The article presents the results of two case studies on NGOs based in Milan, which considered their political activities as well as their provision of health services to irregular immigrants. The article focuses on the micro level of the functioning of services, cooperation networks, and the role of volunteers.