You seriously would rather be homeless than lie for your own safety?

Man, this sub seems to get so damn confused between "what they or others would do" and "what makes someone an asshole".

It is in fact possible that, while telling such a lie might keep this person from being homeless (a good thing), it's still using and influencing other people on false or misleading pretences (an asshole move), and those two things aren't mutually exclusive.

The world isn’t black and white.

Exactly, so it's possible to judge the methods that both parties used to communicate with those around them in this situation, including the ex lying by omission to OP's parents to gain refuge, as dubious or asshole behaviour while equally acknowledging that there might have been a wholly legitimate motivation to engage in said asshole behaviour.

And as for the analogies you and others keep making to the damn nazis around here, I dunno about everyone else but I feel like comparing this kind of situation to the holocaust of all things is a bit of a disingenuous reach, just saying.