Donald Trump Urges Other European Nations To Adopt Italy’s Hardline Position On Immigration

U.S. President Donald Trump has urged other European nations to adopt Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s hardline position on immigration.

Trump revealed this during a meeting with Conte at the White House on Monday. There seem to be some similarities between the two world leaders as they both are considered tough on immigration and border security, and both are seeking better ties with Russia.

The two appeared to have hit it off at the G7 summit in June in Canada.

“I agree very much what you’re doing with respect to migration and illegal immigration, and even legal immigration.

“Italy has taken a very firm stance on the border, a stance a few countries have taken,” Trump said.
“A lot of other countries in Europe should be doing it also,” he added.

Conte heads a right-wing government whose interior minister has taken a tough approach to immigration.

Among other policy changes, the new government in Rome has said migrants rescued from the Mediterranean should no longer be taken to Italian ports.

Similarly, Police in Greece have arrested dozens of migrants in the space of a week for attempting to travel to other European countries with false passports and ID cards.

On the island of Crete, a total of 66 people presented forged travel documents at the airports in Heraklion, Chania and Siteia while trying to board flights to Germany, France and other central and western European countries, the Greek police said on Monday.

Migrants with false documents have been repeatedly caught during Greece’s tourist season.

Smugglers have made a brisk business of forging documents since the Balkan route into Europe has been sealed off, police sources said.