Originally Posted by
CX HK
Please forgive my ignorance, as I am not a frequent traveler to the Schengen zone. But it was my understanding that once you enter the Schengen zone through whatever port, you are free to roam (of course, you are still subject to random checks) through Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, etc. It would just seem like the lack of scrutiny at FCO could lead to not only illegal immigration or worse, terrorism, in Italy, but also in the other members of Schengen.
To worry about illegal immigration by way of entry into the Schengen Zone at FCO or CDG makes little sense when most illegal immigration into and/or within the Schengen zone is done via surface transport. To worry too much about this being an always open door for terrorists entering into the Schengen Zone at FCO or CDG or any other major European airport requires suspension of disbelief, as fraudulently-acquired/used real identification is well within the grasp of any such competent persons and as those with a few thousand dollars can and do quite readily use surface transport means through illicit channels (and often do so without ID quite) regularly.
And contrary to popular misconceptions, an undocumented alien in the Schengen Zone doesn't ordinarily have an easy time of settling everywhere else in the Schengen Zone.