Italy cracked down on illegal immigration and crime with a new law Thursday.
For the first time, illegal immigration becomes a crime and Italians are encouraged to report illegals.
The controversial law, which passed by 157 votes to 124, also enables private citizens - former members of the police or armed forces - to help the police in crime hotspots.
The law covers a wide range of issues but its main focus is on illegal immigration.
The government's move to make illegal immigration a crime has drawn strong protests not only from the centre-left opposition but also from human rights organisations and the Catholic Church.
It follows a controversial new policy to return migrants rescued at sea to Libya, which critics say jeopardises asylum rights.
Under the new immigration crackdown, people caught entering or living in Italy without a permit will not be arrested but they will given immediate expulsion orders and face fines ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 euros.
The law also says that Italians - unless they are doctors or others who will be exempted - will be obliged to report illegal immigrants.
The bill triples the period of time that foreigners can be held in detention centres from two to six months in order to allow sufficient time to process their deportation, should they not be granted asylum.
Other aspects of the law include tough fines for landlords who rent to illegal immigrants, no public services for babies born in Italy to parents without legal status and a longer waiting period for foreigners seeking citizenship through marriage.
The law also authorises 'citizen patrols'.
The government has stressed that the patrols will only be tasked with reporting crime but the opposition claims the government is contracting out policing to private individuals.
It also fears the patrols will turn into vigilante gangs.
