Swedish government seeks speed-up deportations

By Elin Joensson

STOCKHOLM

The Swedish government is eyeing new ways to speed up deportations of failed asylum-seekers.

Interior Minister Anders Ygeman and Justice and Migration Minister Morgan Johansson told reporters Thursday that police should be allowed to raid workplaces in their search for asylum-seekers whose applications have been rejected.

Over 109,000 residence permits were granted in Sweden last year, but so far, the nation has struggled to deport asylum-seekers who go into hiding when they find out their application has been rejected.

Other issues include asylum-seekers who are not accepted back to their home countries.

Current law says that there has to be suspicion of a crime in order for police to do such workplace searches.

“An employer who systematically exploits people who don’t have the right to reside in the country could be banned from business activities, fined, or sentenced to prison for up to one year,” Ygeman added.

“The point of this is of course to eliminate the opportunity to stay in Sweden and make a living out of working here illegally.”

After 163,000 asylum-seekers arrived in Sweden last year, the state migration agency estimates that around 28,400 people will have their applications rejected in 2016.

News agency TT reports that almost 20,000 people are believed to be staying in Sweden despite having had their residency applications rejected. More than 12,000 are wanted by police, according to public broadcaster SVT.

“Deporting someone is one of the toughest tasks for state administration,” border police section head Per Loewenberg told SVT.

“[Asylum] cases are dismissed after four years if unresolved, even if we haven't found the person.”