Greek authorities have transported more than 500 migrants to a port on the mainland in an effort to relieve strain on the island of Crete after a surge in arrivals from Libya.

Greek lawmakers have voted to temporarily halt asylum requests from North African migrants arriving by sea, a decision criticized by rights groups as illegal. The move follows a surge in migrants reaching Crete and marks a tightening of Greece’s migration policies under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government.

Greece has rescued hundreds of migrants off its southern islands of Gavdos and Crete in five separate incidents since Friday, its coastguard said on Sunday.