The executive's proposal - which creates this new unit in the PSP, changes the return regime and regulates the new entry and exit system to reinforce control of external borders - was approved after Chega and PS abstained.

After the government's bill was sent to the committee in October without a vote, the creation of the new unit in the PSP was rejected this week by the parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, which approved a new text on the regime of foreigners in Portugal.

This new text, together with the Government's proposal on the creation of the new unit in the PSP, was approved today in a final vote with the votes in favour of the PSD and CDS/PP, the abstention of BE, Livre, IL, PS and Chega and the votes against from the PAN and the PCP.

The approval comes after the Minister of the Presidency appealed to Chega to reconsider the lead of the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders in the PSP, saying that preventing it would mean returning to the past vision of “immigration with wide-open doors”.

The new unit at PSP, nicknamed “mini-SEF”, will assume responsibilities in air border control, inspection and supervision of immigrants in Portugal, decision and execution of return actions, management of temporary and similar installation spaces and security airport and borders.