DANISH PARLIAMENT TIGHTENS ASYLUM RULES

The Danish Parliament on Tuesday passed a controversial bill that tightens rules on asylum applications and empowers the authorities to confiscate valuables of asylum seekers to finance their stay in the country.

Under the law, Danish police will now be able to search the luggage of asylum seekers and seize cash and any individual items worth over 10,000 Danish kroner, or about 1,452 U.S. dollars. Wedding rings and any other items of sentimental value are exempted.

It also favors delaying family reunifications for some refugees by up to three years instead of one year, and making it harder for refugees to obtain permanent residency and to shorten temporary resident permits.

The bill also includes a 10-percent cut on benefits for asylum seekers and the abolition of the possibility for asylum seekers to live outside of asylum centers.

Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen on Tuesday rejected more austerity measures on asylum policy, saying that the focus should now be on getting refugees into work, and the EU must take control of the external borders.