All migrants arriving in Greece without identification documents will be placed in administrative detention under a new, stricter migration law, the government announced during a heated parliamentary debate.
Defending the bill, Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris argued that a tougher framework is necessary to reduce irregular migration flows.
He claimed that a recent diplomatic effort with Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar had already prevented 6,000 arrivals in Crete in August, stating, "there are policies that can reduce flows."
The legislation drew fire from across the political spectrum. Center-left opposition parties slammed the bill as "xenophobic" and "racist," while the far-right Greek Solution party argued it did not go far enough.
Mr. Plevris pushed back against his left-wing critics, accusing them of wanting open borders. While defending the crackdown on irregular arrivals, he acknowledged the need for a migrant workforce and announced a separate bill would be forthcoming to create "safe migration pathways."