Italy's far-right government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has introduced a controversial provision in its latest security bill that would pay lawyers a bonus of approximately €615 if they successfully persuade immigrant clients to accept voluntary repatriation — but only once the individual has physically left the country. The measure, which passed the upper house and heads to the lower house for final approval this week, has drawn fierce criticism from Italy's national bar council, magistrates' union, and opposition parties, who argue it fundamentally compromises lawyers' independence by financially incentivising them to achieve an outcome desired by the state. Critics have likened the scheme to a "wild west-style bounty," with one opposition leader comparing it to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, while the bill also removes access to state-funded legal aid for migrants challenging deportation orders — a move opponents say strips vulnerable people of meaningful legal protection.