Switzerland ‘seizes assets from migrants’ to cover costs

[snoop1130]

Switzerland ‘seizes assets from migrants’ to cover costs
Euronews

SWITZERLAND -- Migrants bound for Switzerland may be in for an unfortunate surprise.

Local broadcaster SRF says that those crossing the border must surrender to the state any assets worth more than 1,000 Swiss francs – that is 914 euros – as a contribution towards their upkeep.

It’s also reported that refugees who win the right to stay and work in Switzerland have to surrender 10 percent of their pay for up to a decade until they repay 15,000 francs (nearly 14,000 euros).

“This is undignified,” SRF cited Stefan Frey from refugee aid group Schweizerische Fluechtlingshilfe as saying.

“This has to change.”

SRF cited the state migration authority SEM as justifying the measure, noting the law calls for asylum seekers and refugees to contribute where possible to the cost of processing their applications and providing social assistance.

“If someone leaves voluntarily within seven months this person can get the money back and take it with them. Otherwise the money covers costs they generate,” an SEM spokeswoman told SRF.

The Swiss practice has been revealed as Denmark amends its controversial moves to confiscate refugees’ possessions to pay for their stay – by increasing the amount they will be allowed to keep.

Several organisations, including the UN High Commission for Refugees, have censured the Nordic country for the proposal, as well as for others that will delay family reunification and make acquiring refugee and residence status more difficult.

Source: http://www.euronews.com/2016/01/15/switzerland-seizes-assets-from-migrants-to-cover-costs/

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-15

[boomerangutang]

Interesting. However, it deals with tangible things like possessions / money / jewelry. What's not possible, is dealing effectively with is peoples' psyches - how they think. If they harbor desires to instate Sharia Law and/or lean towards being a terrorist, that's very hard to assuage if such die-hard Muslims want to be secretive. It's unlikely the first wave of migrants will stoop to devious deeds, but they're going to have lots of children. Children grow up to be teenagers. Some teenagers get reclusive, angry and/or sex-crazed. Bad things can happen - particularly if those teenagers think they have a justification to harm the apostates which they (the Muslim teenagers) think are keeping them down (casting aspersions, disrespecting, or any of a slew of denigrating things which paranoid people readily imagine).

Sorry to sound cynical, but there are going to be gobs of disaffected people in Europe in the coming decades. Some, with mental troubles - will feel compelled to lash out and cause major harm. We've already seen it manifest in Paris (twice in one year!). Expect lots more in the near future. Sexual exploitation will be another way it manifests.

[bangkapi]

It's not undignified. It's brilliant. Kudos Switzerland.

[billd766]

Why should refugees come from another country to, for example, Switzerland, and not pay for their upkeep.

Why in fact should any host country take resources from its own people to care for refugees from another country? All that achieves in the longer term is a large financial burden on the host country which means that less resources are available for the people of that country. Most lose but refugees win.

[changside]

Of course they should contribute towards their keep. There is no such thing as a free ride as they know only too well. They had to pay to get to Europe.

[JHolmesJr]

Nice proposals by the swiss….I would increase the monthly payment from 10% to 25%, depending on the size of the family.

Pay the tax…or keep walking.

[lostinisaan]

“This is undignified buffalo dung,” SRF cited Stefan Frey from refugee aid group Schweizerische Fluechtlingshilfe told him to let the other 3 million refugees in. For each of them a psychologist, of course for the whole time ( forever) they're living in Germany, to understand that Porno Theaters seem to be the norm in Europe. and all refugees no matter how old they are, have to pay"only" 10 Euros on my Pay Pal bank account.

Please use the way it's described in the book how to SURVIVE in the WESTERN WORLD as a TERRORIST, without having problems.

[changside]

Germany opened the flood gates and now they are having problems with refugees.

http://www.macleans.ca/politics/worldpolitics/germanys-real-problem-with-refugees/

[manarak]

Even as a Swiss national you have to part with all your wealth before being eligible for welfare. It's just applying the same law to all.

[Eddy B]

I like it and think this should be made law across the whole of Europe. It will soon make the ones thinking that they will get a free ride living on benefits a shock. The ones who truly want asylum will obey the rule but the economical immigrants will hopefully soon turn around and head back to their home countries.

[lannarebirth]

I'm not sure "refugee" is the correct term for these would be immigrants, In order to be considered a refugee (which has a very specific meaning under international law), asylum seekers must register and remain in the first safe country they enter. Seeing as how Switzerland is bordered all around by safe countries, I'm at a loss to understand what they are doing in Switzerland in the first place.

[KC 71]

Switzerland ......... Not the cheapest place to live,

Unless you have a swiss bank account that is !!!

[tinsom]

Sure its not the cheapest olace to live. High prices everywhere

and so are the salaries

Thats why they are going

Earn good money. And live cheaply

[paddyjoe41]

I totally agree that they should pay for what they have already received,a chance to start afresh,for the children and themselves,and it may find out who the isil are amongst them,because make no mistake they are there,and for no good reason.So good for swiss to do this,the remainder of Europe should follow suite,and perhaps the world might be a safer place to raise your children.

[godden]

Good idea but should be more, no one keeps me.

[Dustdevil]

Kudos to Switzerland and in their long-standing refusal to allow mosque minarets in the country (last I heard, anyway). They should also hold all new Muslim immigrants responsible for any rapefugees. Any Cologne-like incidents with 50+ sexual assaults in one night--screw it, deport them all. Switzerland should always be Switzerland.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Dustdevil

[12DrinkMore]

I wonder what is the range of "wealth" these refugees are bringing?

[12DrinkMore]

Kudos to Switzerland and in their long-standing refusal to allow mosque minarets in the country (last I heard, anyway). They should also hold all new Muslim immigrants responsible for any rapefugees. Any Cologne-like incidents with 50+ sexual assaults in one night--screw it, deport them all. Switzerland should always be Switzerland.

Yes, they have a democracy.

100,000 signatures and they can hold a vote on an issue.

It keeps the politicians on their toes.

The UK has a democracy only in name. Once the government has been elected it will worm out of the pre-electorial promises and do whatever it wants for the next four years.

[Norvid 1950]

I think that is you want to be in EU change your religious beliefs. Go through reeducation/education process. Otherwise go to a Muslim country. This will solve some of the problems.

[Sydebolle]

Proud to be Swiss; before I could draw social welfare in my native Switzerland I would have to forfeit everything.
Maybe not the most popular way to attract "refugees"; real refugees usually have nothing, are grateful for everything and also don't ransack and rape around like what happened all over Germany by "wanna-be refugees".
Those sow wind will reap storm. Next thing is for Switzerland is to honour the Schengen treaty but re-introduce border controls to keep all those fidel non-refugees out

[UTH001]

Kudos to Switzerland and in their long-standing refusal to allow mosque minarets in the country (last I heard, anyway). They should also hold all new Muslim immigrants responsible for any rapefugees. Any Cologne-like incidents with 50+ sexual assaults in one night--screw it, deport them all. Switzerland should always be Switzerland.

Minarets are still not allowed but don't worry, there are many active mosques despite. "And Switzerland should always be Switzerland"? A bit too late for that now, I am afraid. Switzerland is affected by the 'refugee' crisis pretty much in the same way as many other countries. And political correctness these days has also resulted in authorities rather picking on the Swiss than on foreigners, them being too scared being called racists etc.

But despite that 'seizing assets' thing (why should so called refugees carry large amounts of cash and get everything for free?), the welcome mats for refugees (if most of them only were true refugees...) are still very much out. Free medical care, free dental care (including full check up at arrival, with any treatment considered necessary), free transport, free housing (with new furniture, refugees in Switzerland do not accept second hand stuff), free clothing etc, you name it. In other words, they get MORE than old age pensioners, which does piss off quite a large part of the population...

[zaZa9]

How is it that Western governments of today are constantly announcing to their tax paying constituents that the books arent balancing , that benefits need to be reduced , that pension ages need extending , and that citizens need to start paying for their own health care and educations - yet readily find the money to pay the way for thousands of individuals who have never contributed anything ?

'Charity begins at home' and I for one object to my tax dollars being spent without any consultation of the contributors like myself , on refugees coming from countries that have quite willingly been dog eat dog societies that have never tried to really embrace all their fellow nationals and solve their problems and save for their collective futures ...

We have the aged and youth and , unbelievably , war veterans living homeless in our countries , we have underfunded hospitals and broken down schools , and they need help now , and thats where our priorities should lie.

[soc]

I like it and think this should be made law across the whole of Europe. It will soon make the ones thinking that they will get a free ride living on benefits a shock. The ones who truly want asylum will obey the rule but the economical immigrants will hopefully soon turn around and head back to their home countries.

Return to their home countries?

lf only.

[HerbalEd]

With certain exceptions or adjustments made for the poor and destitute, I think this policy is fair. I don't get to live in Switzerland for free ... why should they. However, I gotta feeling that when the word gets out about this those with money will hide their money by stashing it in an account outside of Switzerland.

[Mr Creosote]

Interesting. However, it deals with tangible things like possessions / money / jewelry. What's not possible, is dealing effectively with is peoples' psyches - how they think. If they harbor desires to instate Sharia Law and/or lean towards being a terrorist, that's very hard to assuage if such die-hard Muslims want to be secretive. It's unlikely the first wave of migrants will stoop to devious deeds, but they're going to have lots of children. Children grow up to be teenagers. Some teenagers get reclusive, angry and/or sex-crazed. Bad things can happen - particularly if those teenagers think they have a justification to harm the apostates which they (the Muslim teenagers) think are keeping them down (casting aspersions, disrespecting, or any of a slew of denigrating things which paranoid people readily imagine).

Sorry to sound cynical, but there are going to be gobs of disaffected people in Europe in the coming decades. Some, with mental troubles - will feel compelled to lash out and cause major harm. We've already seen it manifest in Paris (twice in one year!). Expect lots more in the near future. Sexual exploitation will be another way it manifests.

You just hit the nail squarely on the head. Larger families, more insular groups of people in urban centres surrounding a Mosque, less work, more poverty, more anger.

[i claudius]

Interesting. However, it deals with tangible things like possessions / money / jewelry. What's not possible, is dealing effectively with is peoples' psyches - how they think. If they harbor desires to instate Sharia Law and/or lean towards being a terrorist, that's very hard to assuage if such die-hard Muslims want to be secretive. It's unlikely the first wave of migrants will stoop to devious deeds, but they're going to have lots of children. Children grow up to be teenagers. Some teenagers get reclusive, angry and/or sex-crazed. Bad things can happen - particularly if those teenagers think they have a justification to harm the apostates which they (the Muslim teenagers) think are keeping them down (casting aspersions, disrespecting, or any of a slew of denigrating things which paranoid people readily imagine).

Sorry to sound cynical, but there are going to be gobs of disaffected people in Europe in the coming decades. Some, with mental troubles - will feel compelled to lash out and cause major harm. We've already seen it manifest in Paris (twice in one year!). Expect lots more in the near future. Sexual exploitation will be another way it manifests.

You just hit the nail squarely on the head. Larger families, more insular groups of people in urban centres surrounding a Mosque, less work, more poverty, more anger.

Pity our govts did not feel this way and act on it , but they are to afraid of the loony left , and of course the bosses like them ,lots of cheap labour .

[Mr Creosote]

I'm not sure "refugee" is the correct term for these would be immigrants, In order to be considered a refugee (which has a very specific meaning under international law), asylum seekers must register and remain in the first safe country they enter. Seeing as how Switzerland is bordered all around by safe countries, I'm at a loss to understand what they are doing in Switzerland in the first place.

Its a game of "pass the hot potato" played by neighbouring countries.

[novo58]

Excellent policy......................to put it into perspective.

In Australia my son needs to obtain a loan to attend university . By the time he finishes his course he will have a DEBT in excess of $30,000 (AUD). Now thats a great way to start your working career.

However,a potential terrorist , refugee gets given hand outs left right and centre, get given housing whilst many Australians sit on waiting lists, get given free health care ( above and beyond general Medicare that exists in Aust),and social security payments for doing nothing ( they certainly cant meet job search criteria if they cant speak english, or have no skills/qualifications for employment).

I have no problems with genuine refugees being taken into Australia.....................but make everything they are given into LOANS to be paid back when they obtain gainful employment and integrate into the community.

[ilostmypassword]

Why should refugees come from another country to, for example, Switzerland, and not pay for their upkeep.

Why in fact should any host country take resources from its own people to care for refugees from another country? All that achieves in the longer term is a large financial burden on the host country which means that less resources are available for the people of that country. Most lose but refugees win.

You're right. The USA should have turned away all the nasty refugees who emigrated there in the 19th and 20th centuries. Or, if they did let them come, they should have confiscated most of their money so they couldn't set up business and compete with native merchants. Very sound thinking.

[12DrinkMore]

Why should refugees come from another country to, for example, Switzerland, and not pay for their upkeep.

Why in fact should any host country take resources from its own people to care for refugees from another country? All that achieves in the longer term is a large financial burden on the host country which means that less resources are available for the people of that country. Most lose but refugees win.

You're right. The USA should have turned away all the nasty refugees who emigrated there in the 19th and 20th centuries. Or, if they did let them come, they should have confiscated most of their money so they couldn't set up business and compete with native merchants. Very sound thinking.

Those times are not comparable.

Then there was a lot of space, no medicare, no government handouts. You either fitted in and worked or starved.

The current wave tsunami does NOT

1. Want to culturally integrate.

2. Want to work.