COPOMIAO pushes Italy on citizenship, visas and youth ties

A delegation from the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations met top Italian and U.S. officials in Rome to press for easier dual citizenship, looser visa rules and stronger links for younger Italian Americans. The talks also touched Italy’s population decline and a plan to bring young Italian leaders into COPOMIAO’s Future Leaders program.

Why it matters: - COPOMIAO is trying to turn cultural ties into concrete policy changes that could affect millions of Italian Americans seeking dual citizenship. - The Rome meetings also linked heritage issues to Italy’s demographic challenges and its need to keep younger generations connected. - The discussions add another channel for U.S.-Italy engagement at a time when transatlantic cooperation spans immigration, culture and energy.

What happened: - A COPOMIAO delegation met senior Italian and U.S. officials in Rome this month to promote stronger ties between Italian Americans and Italy. - The group was led by COPOMIAO President Hon. Basil M. Russo. - U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli, co-chair of the Italian American Congressional Delegation on Capitol Hill, joined the delegation. - The delegation met Lorenzo Fontana, president of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies. - The group also met Sen. Mariastella Gelmini, who chairs the Italy-United States parliamentary friendship group. - The delegation spoke with Christian Di Sanzo, a member of the Chamber of Deputies elected to represent Italian citizens in North and Central America. - COPOMIAO met Silvia Limoncini, director general for services to citizens abroad and migration policies, at Italy’s Foreign Ministry. - The delegation visited the U.S. Embassy and met Ambassador Tilman J. Fertitta. - COPOMIAO also met with Italy’s Supreme Court officials during the Rome trip.

The details: - Fontana discussed the contributions of Italian Americans in the United States and their continuing cultural importance. - Fontana also voiced support for keeping descendants of Italian immigrants connected to Italy. - COPOMIAO brought concerns from Italian American families whose ancestors left Italy for safety and opportunity, including people fleeing war, poverty and suppression. - Di Sanzo supported easing restrictions on citizenship by descent. - COPOMIAO pressed for looser dual citizenship rules and easier visa access. - The delegation said easier access would help Italian Americans maintain meaningful ties to Italy. - COPOMIAO raised Italy’s declining population with Italian officials and discussed possible responses. - The delegation invited Italian government officials to help bring young leaders from Italy into COPOMIAO’s Italian American Future Leaders program. - At the U.S. Embassy, COPOMIAO discussed broader U.S.-Italy relations, including energy trade and ongoing cooperation between the two countries’ leaders. - Russo said generations of Italian Americans have preserved their connection to Italy through family, language and tradition. - Russo said COPOMIAO’s goal is to strengthen that bond so it cannot be broken. - The September Rome and Vatican City mission also included separate meetings with Pope Leo XIV and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. - Those Vatican talks focused on faith, culture and an emerging relationship with the Holy See.

Between the lines: - COPOMIAO is using high-level diplomacy to push heritage issues that have become political questions, especially citizenship by descent. - The emphasis on young leaders suggests the group wants this connection to last beyond symbolic visits and become a pipeline for future advocacy. - Linking citizenship, visas and population decline shows Italy’s interest in diaspora engagement as part of a broader national strategy.

What's next: - COPOMIAO will continue seeking support for easier dual citizenship and visa access. - The group is likely to build on the Rome trip to expand youth programming with Italian participation. - COPOMIAO’s broader effort to deepen ties among Italian American groups, the Italian government and U.S. institutions appears set to continue after the September mission.

The bottom line: - COPOMIAO is pushing Italy to treat the Italian diaspora not just as heritage, but as a living bridge for citizenship, youth engagement and bilateral ties. - The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, founded in New York City in 1975, is a national nonprofit coalition of 77 cultural, educational, fraternal and anti-defamation groups. - More information: the organization's Facebook page