Denmark approves bill to seize valuables from refugees

One lawmaker abstained from voting and 70 others were absent.

Denmark’s Parliament on Tuesday adopted reforms aimed at stemming the flow of refugees. “The alternative is that we continue to be [one of] the most attractive countries in Europe to come to, and then we end up like Sweden”, he said. “Today we’re known for an inhumane, strict policy in relation to immigrants and asylum seekers”.

The United Nations (UN) warned such move may fuel fear and xenophobia. So the criticism that all of a sudden we were doing something wrong we find highly, highly unfair, ‘ he told AFP. However, lawmakers have defended the law stating that it aligns with the welfare model of Denmark. In a welfare state, they argued, everyone needs to use up their own resources before receiving benefits.

Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen, left, and Danish Minister for Immigration Inger Stojberg speak with the media prior to a meeting of the Civil Liberties Committee at the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday.

But a 24-year-old migrant from Afghanistan, Feraidoon Ferogh, offered a different insight.

The Danish ruling party first announced the idea in December.

At the time, the government replied: “It is explicitly mentioned in the bill before Parliament that the new rule on seizure will only apply to assets of a considerable value”.

Authorities, however, can confiscate valuable items like watches, mobile phones and computers.

“I’m really, really anxious that this will mean that asylum seekers get an incentive to bring their children when they flee themselves, so this means that we have more children in rubber boats in the Mediterranean, and that worries me a lot”.

Denmark is not the only one Nordxic country trying to shut its doors to migrants.

Some German states also take funds from refugees and Switzerland requires asylum-seekers to hand over cash of more than 1000 francs ($1500).

UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards said: “The decision to give Danish police the authority to search and confiscate valuables from asylum seekers sends damaging messages in our view…”

Denmark previous year cut benefits for new asylum seekers as part of its measures to reduce immigration. Do you feel stricter border controls are necessary, or are you disappointed that such drastic action has been taken?

Figures suggest nearly 37,000 migrants arrived in Europe by land and sea in January 2016. The camp has the capacity to hold up to 2,000 people. The so-called “migrants bill” has already been revised after widespread criticism from across the political spectrum.

In another relevant development on Tuesday, the Czech prime minister said he has invited leaders of Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to a special summit on the refugee crisis next month.

In addition, Amnesty International has called the three-year waiting period for family reunifications “cruel”, saying it could “have a devastating impact on families”.