The Swedish proposal that publicly employed individuals must report undocumented immigrants to the authorities – which critics call the "informer law" – is also sparking outrage beyond Sweden's borders.
People will be terrified. Why would anyone want to go anywhere when they know they won't get care, won't be able to go to school, won't be able to go to the library – they'll just be reported, says Michele LeVoy to The Guardian.
In the UK, a law was introduced in 2012 that would limit access to work, bank accounts, driver's licenses, and other essential services for those who could not prove they had a legal right to reside in the country.
The measures were repealed four years later, as it turned out that even many of those who legally resided in the country could not prove their status and were often incorrectly classified as illegal. LeVoy believes that Sweden may face the same problems if the new law is passed.
The result will be more discrimination, suffering, and fear, she says.
In an email to Expressen, Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard (The Moderate Party) comments on the criticism.
”The duty to provide information is about the public sector working together to maintain regulated immigration. It's essential that we get immigration in order and that a yes is a yes, and a no is a no”, she writes.
The proposal for extended duty to provide information is currently being investigated. The investigation is to be presented on November 29.
