“If, for example, you ignore paying your debts, if you don’t comply with decisions from Swedish authorities, if you cheat the benefits system, if you cheat your way to a Swedish residence permit… then you do not have the right to be here,” Forssell said.
Other examples the government cited as examples included working without paying taxes or not paying fines.
“Just don’t be poor.”
“Statements – that is, things a person says or expresses – should not in themselves be regarded as evidence of lack of honest living, but they may be an indication of, for example, links to violent extremism, which can then be a sign of deficient character,” Ludvig Aspling, migration policy spokesman for the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats which is propping up the government, told reporters.
Absolutely dystopian.
Nah man, I’m poor as fuck right now, I barely make minimum wage, but I properly file my taxes and you know what? Because the system in my country is good, I don’t have to break the bank to do so either.
Fraud, debt evasion, tax evasion etc are not a consequence of poverty and instead do affect all other people who do things right. You can’t benefit from tax money and from the system if you’re actively cheating it.
Fraud, debt evasion, tax evasion etc are not a consequence of poverty
Except poverty is the single best predictor for crime. Also laws like these can be and are used in combination with purposely obtuse laws and bureaucratic barriers to harass immigrants who didn’t do anything wrong. The debts thing in particular reminds me of Japan, where paying a bill late for any reason (even if it’s not your fault) can be used as reason to deny PR and give shorter visas. You should question the motivations of politicians more.
Isn’t extraordinary wealth the single best predictor for crime?
Please stop equating being poor with being fraudulent and criminal. The list of fraudulent behavior has nothing to do with being poor.
And fighting violent extremism is in no way dystopian.
And fighting violent extremism is in no way dystopian.
Violent extremism like checks notes opposing Israeli colonialism. See: Germany.
Last time I was in Germany, I saw tons of that anti colonial opposition. They were not violent.
Good that they are no longer turning a blind eye to those who abuse the system. It’s really infuriating to migrants who are just normal residents and citizens.
Why should they “turn a blind eye” to non-migrants who do not follow an “honest living”?
How on earth did you glean that from the article?