The Danish parliament has passed controversial laws overnight, meaning asylum seekers in Denmark will be forced to hand over cash and valuables worth more than $2,000.
Advertisement
The bill, which allows the confiscation of refugees’ cash exceeding 10,000 kroner ($1,450), has prompted comparisons to Nazi Germany, which confiscated the goods of Jews during World War II.
Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, of the center-right Venstre party, said the bill is “the most misunderstood bill in Denmark’s history”.
Integration Minister Inger Støjberg has promised that items of “sentimental value” such as wedding rings would be exempt.
Danish authorities insist the policy brings migrants in line with jobless Danes, who must sell assets above a certain level to claim benefits.
Jonas Christoffersen, the director of the the Danish Institute for Human Rights, said that the “right of refugees to be reunited with their family is protected by numerous worldwide conventions ratified by Denmark”.
Copenhagen has often referred to neighboring Sweden as a cautionary tale, where 163,000 asylum applications were submitted a year ago – compared to some 20,000 in Denmark.
In perhaps an stronger deterrent for refugees, those fleeing “indiscriminate” rather than “individual persecution”, will have to wait three years instead of one to apply for their families to join them.
Despite widespread condemnation, Denmark’s parliament is expected to vote Tuesday in favour of drastic reforms curbing asylum seekers’ rights, including delaying family reunifications and confiscating migrants’ valuables. Bavaria, along with the Baden-Wuttenberg region also seized cash and valuables more than 0 and 8 respectively.
Europe’s human rights and democracy body said earlier this month it was “deeply concerned” at the proposed changes to Danish immigration laws.
Danish oppositions say that this law will cause division and would hurt Denmark’s reputation for generosity and tolerance, and potentially fuels xenophobia.
However, Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen defended the law to the UN Human Rights Council last week, saying “the Danish welfare state is based upon the very simple principle that the state will provide and pay for those unable to take care of themselves, not for those who are able”.
As the migrant crisis shows no sign of letting up, once-welcoming Nordic countries are turning colder toward refugees.
However, Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen from the opposition left Red-Green Alliance that was against the legislation, said “this is a symbolic move to scare people away” from seeking asylum in Denmark. 70 others and one MP abstained were not present.
Advertisement
Today’s mean-spirited vote in Danish parliament seeks not only to pilfer the possessions refugees cling to, but also to needlessly lengthen their separation from their loved ones.
