Denmark wants to send its asylum seekers outside Europe

COPENHAGEN: Denmark on Thursday ratcheted up its tough anti-immigration laws by adopting new legislation enabling it to open asylum centres outside Europe where applicants would be sent to live.

The latest move by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s Social Democratic anti-immigration government is aimed at deterring migrants from coming to Denmark at all. Asylum seekers would now have to submit an application in person at the Danish border and then be flown to an asylum centre outside Europe while their application is being processed.

If the application is approved and the person is granted refugee status, he or she would be given the right to live in the host country, but not in Denmark. The bill sailed through parliament on Thursday, supported by a majority including the far-right, despite opposition from some left-wing parties.

The European Commission on Thursday said the Danish plan violates existing EU asylum rules. However, since Copenhagen has an opt-out on EU migration and asylum cooperation, the Commission would examine the situation "before deciding on any next steps," spokesman Adalbert Jahnz told reporters.

Denmark has repeatedly made headlines in recent years with its anti-immigration policies including its official "zero refugees" target, its withdrawal of residence permits from Syrians now that it deems parts of the wartorn country safe and its crackdown on "ghettos" to reduce the number of "non-Western" residents.

The aim of the new law is to establish a legal foundation for the transfer of people seeking international protection in Denmark to a third country, according to the immigration ministry. Denmark would foot the bill but the processing of asylum requests would be carried out by the host country.