"I am happy," he wrote on Facebook, calling the legislation "a step forward toward making Italy safer."
The legislation promoted by the interior minister extends the period of detention of illegal migrants to 180 days and sets more strict rules for "humanitarian" asylum, limiting this status to victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, work exploitation, natural disasters and to those in need of urgent medical care.
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Salvini said the bill would reduce the financial burden of "excessive" immigration, allow faster expulsions of "fake refugees" and immigrants with criminal records, and strip terrorists of citizenship.
"If you come into my home and deal drugs, I'll escort you back to where you came from," the Italian Interior Minister told a news conference, commenting on the decree.