It’s the oldest trick in the book.

Muslim illegal aliens pay smugglers thousands of dollars to put them on rafts and boats that can barely stay afloat. They get out into the Med, where the “rescue ships” run by European NGOs swoop in and “save them”, transporting these poor creatures to a life of taxpayer-funded comfort.

Italy is losing patience with the game. And it’s signaling that if you keep using ships to smuggle illegal aliens, your ship will be seized.

The Italian government has passed new controversial measures to curb immigration.

The so-called security decree, promoted by Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, envisages fines of up to €50,000 for ships that “ignore bans and limitations” on accessing Italian waters, and the seizure of ships that ignore orders more than once.

Although the legislative text passed on Tuesday doesn’t specifically mention activities carried out by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Salvini’s aim is to clamp down on migrant rescues in the Mediterranean, which he says ultimately help human traffickers illegally get people into Europe.

It’s a smart way to do it. It’s how the Left does things.

Impose a regulation with a particular aim, and then add fines to protect that regulation, without ever formally putting the issue into the regulation.

Italy isn’t there yet. The 5 star movement is dysfunctional and contains leftist elements that are quite open to illegal migration. But it’s a good approach.

We need to start thinking about various solutions for breaking the transportation system funneling illegal aliens into America.