Sweden intensifies crackdown on illegal immigrants

[webfact]

Sweden intensifies crackdown on illegal immigrants

By Johan Ahlander and Mansoor Yosufzai

 

A general view of the migration agency detention center in Marsta, Sweden, June 20, 2017. REUTERS/Johan Ahlander/Files

 

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden has intensified its crackdown on illegal immigrants after a failed asylum-seeker killed five people in Stockholm, but the move has raised concerns that more migrants will be driven underground to join a shadowy underclass.

 

In the past months, police have staged wider sweeps on workplaces to check papers, netting undocumented workers, sending a warning to employers and sparking heated debate in a nation that has been traditionally tolerant to migrants.

 

In May, police carried out their biggest raid so far when dozens of officers swooped on a constructions site in Stockholm. Nine were caught and sent to detention centres, while another 40 escaped by scrambling onto scaffolding and across roof tops.

 

Swedish authorities had already started to tighten up on illegal immigrants, but police stepped up their activities after Uzbek construction worker Rakhmat Akilov drove into Stockholm shoppers in April.

 

"We have an unlimited amount of work," said Jerk Wiberg, who leads the Stockholm police unit in charge of domestic border controls. A 22-year veteran who has caught thousands of illegal immigrants, Wiberg led the raid at the construction site in May.

 

After Akilov became another militant in Europe to use a truck as a weapon, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven made it clear that "no means no" for those whose asylum bids are rejected. Akilov, whose lawyer said he had admitted to committing the crime, had been in hiding after his asylum request was denied. 

 

The Migration Agency estimated 10,000 asylum-seekers a year will choose to disappear rather than be deported. Up to 50,000 undocumented immigrants already work in hotels, transport, construction and restaurants, the agency said last year.

 

Migration Minister Morgan Johansson said that a "dual labour market ... where a growing group lives on the outside of society and remains in Sweden" after having been denied residency was unacceptable.

 

"It also increases the risk of them being exploited. We cannot have it that way," he said, adding: "One way is to go after the employers ... (using) expanded workplace checks."

 

While cheap migrant labour is welcomed by some small businesses, government officials and economists worry that the shadow economy undercuts Sweden's economic model, whose generous welfare provisions and high wages are built on high rates of productivity and one of the world's heaviest tax regimes.

 

ANTI-IMMIGRANT PARTY

 

Tough measures against immigrants go against the grain for many in Sweden, a country of 10 million which once called itself "a humanitarian superpower" that generously welcomed migrants fleeing conflict in the Middle East and Africa.

 

But attitudes appear to be changing and a 2017 study by Gothenburg University showed 52 percent favoured taking fewer refugees into the country with 24 percent opposed. Two years ago 40 percent backed reducing refugee numbers with 37 opposed.

 

The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats are now the second biggest party in polls with support of around a fifth of Swedes.

 

The Social Democrats, the country's biggest party in every election since 1917 and leader of the governing coalition with the Greens, has been forced to balance its traditional left-wing credentials with the need to enforce immigration laws.

 

Despite political support for the crackdown and tougher rules on immigration, police struggle to enforce deportations. Between January and April police deported just under 600 people, a third fewer than in the same period last year.

 

Some of those caught were freed because detention centres were full, while others cannot be deported as they don't have passports to prove their country of origin or their home countries refuse to take them.

 

The government never discloses how many are held in detention centres, saying there are about 360 beds and deportees are normally repatriated within three weeks. The government has told the migration agency to add another 100 beds.

 

An extra 800 million crowns ($95 million) has been added to the police budget this year to bolster the clampdown, but senior officers say this is not enough.

 

WIDENING THE NET

 

In 2016, police made about 1,100 unannounced workplace checks, almost three times more than in 2015, and caught 232 illegal immigrants. A further increase is expected in 2017 as the net widens. Illegal immigrants are also detained through checks at transport hubs, on vehicles or after committing crime.

 

Deportations made up a small fraction of the 20,000 rejected asylum seekers who left Sweden last year.

 

"We have been able to increase the number of people who leave Sweden substantially. But we're listening to the police and we have paved the way for more resources and wider powers," Johansson said in an interview, adding:

 

"We will have to increase that number further."

 

Expanded police powers include workplace checks without concrete suspicion of a crime, to be allowed from next year, with sharply higher fines for employing illegal immigrants.

 

Immigrants themselves have been unnerved. When police burst into a pizzeria in the southern city of Malmo where Ehsanulla Kajfar, a 38-year-old Afghan refugee, was working in May he said he thought they were looking for "terrorists or drug dealers".

 

He was surprised to be handcuffed and placed in the back seat of a police vehicle as tax officials scrutinised the restaurant's employee ledger. He was told his papers were not in order and was taken to a detention centre.

 

"Sweden used to be a nice country, even when I was living underground," he told Reuters. "Now although I have a residence permit from Italy and I am registered at the tax agency in Sweden, I'm still locked in a detention centre." 

 

IMMIGRANTS FEARFUL

 

Nicaraguan Hugo Eduardo Somarriba Quintero, 37, said he was wrongly detained in the big raid in Stockholm in May due to an error by authorities and then released. Migration Agency records confirmed the details of his case.

 

"But I've lost my job – the company where I was working was dropped from the construction site (because of irregularities in not checking work papers properly). Now I am looking for work and there is no job for me," he tearfully told Reuters, adding:

 

"Before there was a lot of tolerance for migrants. Now the laws are harder."

 

Muhammad, a 22-year old Afghan who declined to give his family name, has been in hiding for three years in Malmo since his asylum application was rejected.

 

He has moved three times this year and never stays in a place longer than three months. All his belongings are packed in a suitcase and two plastic bags if he needs to leave in a hurry.

 

Muhammad relies on food stamps from the church and leftover food from restaurants and grocery stores.

 

He has learned to avoid the city centre when there is an increase in policing and gets help from other immigrants and volunteers who work for asylum-seekers' rights. They warn each other of police checks and raids through text messages.

 

"Last time the police made a push to find immigrants, my friend stayed inside for 15 to 20 days," Muhammad said. "But I can't stay inside all the time, its too depressing."

 

(Reporting by Johan Ahlander and Mansoor Yosufzai, additional reporting by Alister Doyle, editing by Peter Millership)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-13

[ezzra]

But why? Sweden is the promised land fro all things Muslims and Arabs for years now, some even renamed it to Swedstan...  What nincompoop has allowed tens of thousands to swarm in unchecked only to see that they have fluked up and kick them out now?.....

[Khun Robert]

Arresting illegal immigrants, raids on construction sites?  Sharply higher fines for employing illegal immigrants. Sending people to an  IDC and deportation? OMG, Sweden will go bankrupt, the whole economy will collapse.  No more work force to get jobs done.  No more tourist will come to this once so nice country.  Their Government does not have a clue what they do.  Or are these comments only good when it happens in Thailand?

[simple1]

Sweden's government migration and asylum policy as of 02/2017.

 

http://www.government.se/491b3d/contentassets/26536c43ab3b41df90c064c2049b1bce/swedens-migration-and-asylum-policy

 

 

[ddavidovsky]

1 hour ago, simple1 said:

Sweden's government migration and asylum policy as of 02/2017.

 

http://www.government.se/491b3d/contentassets/26536c43ab3b41df90c064c2049b1bce/swedens-migration-and-asylum-policy

 

 

Basically, underneath a heavy smokescreen of talk about asylum, which is not the point of contention, it actually condones cheap immigrant labour settlement in perpetuity, which is.

[Orton Rd]

What a joke, horse and stable door come to mind, they missed their chance a long time ago.

[Pdaz]

About time the whole of Europe came to it's senses and realised we can't accomodation the entire third World. 

Applications only accepted from country of origin. Anyone found to have entered illegally or who has tried to bypass the correct procedure arrested and deported immediately. Any immigrant granted asylum who breaks a law within 10 years of arrival. Arrest and deport (along with their family) Anyone attempting to cross the Med in a boat or guilty of paying people smugglers, arrest and deport. 

Once they realise that Europe isn't a soft touch, the so called 'migrant crisis' will evaporate. Continue to hand out cash and allow charities to 'rescue' them and we will drown in the Worlds detritus. If the Lib Luvvies want to help them so badly, let them go to Africa and the Middle East and help the natives there.

[Grubster]

The Vikings must be rolling around in their graves.

[Jonmarleesco]

'"Before there was a lot of tolerance for migrants. Now the laws are harder."'

 

Blame that on too many illegals, economic migrants posing as refugees, and the unavoidable terrorist connection.

[observer90210]

In those days a few decades ago, you had your bunch of "friendly neighbourhood dictators" in Libya, Irak etc,  and there was no global crisis...

Once they were thrown out, borders fell and things started. But then, who thew those "friendly neighbourhood" dictators out?

 

Same with the Berlin wall...When it was there, there was no East European mafia. The wall was torn down, an once again, a new form of violent crime spread globally.

Who called for the wall to be torn down?

 

And what about Europe? All those who fought to have the borders fall and make one big union...fine...but don't complain once the flaws of Schengen are duly exploited as the immigrants are far from stupid....should have thought before jumping into the European Union racket...

 

Not that I approve or disapprove....but on deeper thought...the point here is the western world has a responsiblity as we tried to impose our dynamics on the Mid-East.

Fine with me, but once it's done, it's a bit irrelevant to complain...

 

Now it's time to clean up things with a global paycheck to be handled by all the nations in the military campaign coalitions of the last decades....

Teach the immigrants how to fish in their countries instead of just feeding them pointlessly with fish in the west.....things may improve and benefit to all?

Edited July 13, 2017 by observer90210

[ddavidovsky]

5 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

In those days a few decades ago, you had your bunch of "friendly neighbourhood dictators" in Libya, Irak etc,  and there was no global crisis...

Once they were thrown out, borders fell and things started. But then, who thew those "friendly neighbourhood" dictators out?

 

The west's idealism since 2001 has been mercilessly exposed but I don't think that accounts for all the immigration though.

 

When I first went to Sweden, back in 1982, I was randomly wandering around Stockholm and found myself in what seemed to be a black ghetto. It was a bit of a shock and I wondered how these people came to be there. Since the 60s western Europe has surreptitiously been inviting in cheap immigrant labour as the quickest and easiest means of economic growth. In Germany's case, the invitation to the Turks was quite explicit - there are now 3 million of them there.

 

They didn't give any thought to cultural issues. Up until 2000, the world was steadily becoming more secular. They assumed homogenisation was the trend, especially once they assimilated into Europe's wonderful liberal, laissez-faire, free-speaking societies. What happened wasn't anticipated - multiculturalism demanded that everything be dumbed down so as not to offend the new arrivals. Political correctness became the new fascism as liberals became ever more terrified of upsetting anyone. Now nobody can act or speak as freely as they used to. Culture becomes eroded. The damage is suddenly perceived to be irreversible. Tensions rise...

 

No one foresaw any of this. The politicians have been stupid, naive and weak.

 

[the guest]

Maybe Sweden should invite the Thai immigration to take over the immigration dept in Sweden. They have more experience, they are good at catching foreigners, with better results, and they know how to deal with them once caught,

[observer90210]

13 minutes ago, ddavidovsky said:

The west's idealism since 2001 has been mercilessly exposed but I don't think that accounts for all the immigration though.

 

When I first went to Sweden, back in 1982, I was randomly wandering around Stockholm and found myself in what seemed to be a black ghetto. It was a bit of a shock and I wondered how these people came to be there. Since the 60s western Europe has surreptitiously been inviting in cheap immigrant labour as the quickest and easiest means of economic growth. In Germany's case, the invitation to the Turks was quite explicit - there are now 3 million of them there.

 

They didn't give any thought to cultural issues. Up until 2000, the world was steadily becoming more secular. They assumed homogenisation was the trend, especially once they assimilated into Europe's wonderful liberal, laissez-faire, free-speaking societies. What happened wasn't anticipated - multiculturalism demanded that everything be dumbed down so as not to offend the new arrivals. Political correctness became the new fascism as liberals became ever more terrified of upsetting anyone. Now nobody can act or speak as freely as they used to. Culture becomes eroded. The damage is suddenly perceived to be irreversible. Tensions rise...

 

No one foresaw any of this. The politicians have been stupid, naive and weak.

 

Yes, the west does have it's responsability. Should it be for military, economical or political reasons...or maybe all three are connected.

Edited July 13, 2017 by observer90210

[simple1]

10 hours ago, simple1 said:

Sweden's government migration and asylum policy as of 02/2017.

 

http://www.government.se/491b3d/contentassets/26536c43ab3b41df90c064c2049b1bce/swedens-migration-and-asylum-policy

 

 

Government policy defines those who are illegal migrants, so the content is relevant. I see the usual "deport them all', in a number of cases there would not be a government to government agreement in place to enable deportation e.g. Iran will not accept it's nationals from governments who attempt forcible return.

[Flustered]

That's the price you pay for a Liberal, luvvie government.

 

Unfortunately as another FM said, horse and stable door.

 

It's too late folks. The Islamification of Europe has started.

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed. 

[digger70]

Self inflicted Disaster,Never should have let them in the Country in the first place.Now it's to late ,they don't have the Guts to clean them out of the Country.

[simple1]

13 hours ago, Pdaz said:

About time the whole of Europe came to it's senses and realised we can't accomodation the entire third World. 

Applications only accepted from country of origin. Anyone found to have entered illegally or who has tried to bypass the correct procedure arrested and deported immediately. Any immigrant granted asylum who breaks a law within 10 years of arrival. Arrest and deport (along with their family) Anyone attempting to cross the Med in a boat or guilty of paying people smugglers, arrest and deport. 

Once they realise that Europe isn't a soft touch, the so called 'migrant crisis' will evaporate. Continue to hand out cash and allow charities to 'rescue' them and we will drown in the Worlds detritus. If the Lib Luvvies want to help them so badly, let them go to Africa and the Middle East and help the natives there.

I believe it is correct to say that genuine asylum seekers are usually unable to apply for refugee status within their home country.  Asylum seekers who have been confirmed as genuine refugees in a third party country have extremely limited options for resettlement and massive waiting times in refugee camps, the vast majority held in 'third world' countries. I trust your desire to deport any migrant committing any criminal offense within ten years of residence includes those from UK, USA , Aussie nationals etc; in my home country, Australia, that would likely trigger thousands of deportations of 'whites'. As an example comparison last year about 1,500 people were deported for 'serious criminal offence' (minimum one year jail sentence), vast majority being non Muslim

[jippytum]

Too late ......The 'doogooders have given Europe away to immigrants

[Baerboxer]

23 hours ago, ezzra said:

But why? Sweden is the promised land fro all things Muslims and Arabs for years now, some even renamed it to Swedstan...  What nincompoop has allowed tens of thousands to swarm in unchecked only to see that they have fluked up and kick them out now?.....

 

That's the problem with Liberal Socialist Politically Correct administrations. They believe that creating a fair society, economically more fair, in which needs are provided by the state; where education and health care are a right, where free speech and all people are respected regardless of religion, political views (well most), sexual orientation and different sexes and where laws are respected and not transgressed would be a better environment for the economic migrants, refugees and illegal immigrants. They thought these people would see that it's better and wish to change to be part of it.

 

Wrong. They never expected that the people they welcomed would want to stay as they are and change there carefully created society into the types of shitheaps they come from.

 

And now, they have difficulty dealing with it.

[lovelomsak]

Baerboxer you hit it right on. And none of the political correct dogooders will ever admit it. They have created a mess that can never be fixed. People who have no worldly knowledge leading.

[Pdaz]

On 14/07/2017 at 8:14 AM, simple1 said:

I believe it is correct to say that genuine asylum seekers are usually unable to apply for refugee status within their home country.  Asylum seekers who have been confirmed as genuine refugees in a third party country have extremely limited options for resettlement and massive waiting times in refugee camps, the vast majority held in 'third world' countries. I trust your desire to deport any migrant committing any criminal offense within ten years of residence includes those from UK, USA , Aussie nationals etc; in my home country, Australia, that would likely trigger thousands of deportations of 'whites'. As an example comparison last year about 1,500 people were deported for 'serious criminal offence' (minimum one year jail sentence), vast majority being non Muslim

As a three time migrant ( or immigrant if you prefer ) myself I have some understanding of this. My family had to wait over two years for approval to emigrate from the UK.  This was after providing a sponsor, employment, medical and financial info many times over. After arriving in the US we understood that if we broke US law there was a very good chance of losing our status and being deported. Obviously after living there for the set period we could have applied for citizenship and deportation would no no longer be a threat. There are very few places in the free World where people don't have access to a foreign embassy where they can apply for asylum or apply to emigrate. Canada, NZ, Australia, US and Europe take in thousands every year. Both qualified/skilled people that they need and refugees. Yes they have to wait their turn and yes they need to be scrutinised. Why not ? Should everybody in the World have the right to live wherever they please ?  If as an educated, skilled and solvent guy you can't settle anywhere  you fancy, why should an uneducated, potless and possibly criminal person be able to ? 

My wife of 10 yrs needs a visa for the UK, I need a visa to live in Thailand, I also require a visa to go work in Australia, the US, Nigeria and Russia. As well as a current UK passport for every other country I visit. Why if I have to comply with these rules should economic migrants be given a free pass. They are either willing to follow the system or not. If found to have entered illegally or attempted to negate border security they should be deported. 

TBH I don't care what about the colour of their skin or their religion. Equality means if anyone breaks or avoids the law, they should be repatriated.

Being poor, hard done by or from a <deleted> country shouldn't entitle them to ignore our laws. The West cannot accomodate every refugee on Earth.

[simple1]

7 minutes ago, Pdaz said:

As a three time migrant ( or immigrant if you prefer ) myself I have some understanding of this. My family had to wait over two years for approval to emigrate from the UK.  This was after providing a sponsor, employment, medical and financial info many times over. After arriving in the US we understood that if we broke US law there was a very good chance of losing our status and being deported. Obviously after living there for the set period we could have applied for citizenship and deportation would no no longer be a threat. There are very few places in the free World where people don't have access to a foreign embassy where they can apply for asylum or apply to emigrate. Canada, NZ, Australia, US and Europe take in thousands every year. Both qualified/skilled people that they need and refugees. Yes they have to wait their turn and yes they need to be scrutinised. Why not ? Should everybody in the World have the right to live wherever they please ?  If as an educated, skilled and solvent guy you can't settle anywhere  you fancy, why should an uneducated, potless and possibly criminal person be able to ? 

My wife of 10 yrs needs a visa for the UK, I need a visa to live in Thailand, I also require a visa to go work in Australia, the US, Nigeria and Russia. As well as a current UK passport for every other country I visit. Why if I have to comply with these rules should economic migrants be given a free pass. They are either willing to follow the system or not. If found to have entered illegally or attempted to negate border security they should be deported. 

TBH I don't care what about the colour of their skin or their religion. Equality means if anyone breaks or avoids the law, they should be repatriated.

Being poor, hard done by or from a <deleted> country shouldn't entitle them to ignore our laws. The West cannot accomodate every refugee on Earth.

Plenty of whites with visa overstay in Australia (illegal migrants), commit criminal offences etc therefore logically in many other countries, yet people only rant about Muslim illegal migrants.

[Pdaz]

8 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Plenty of whites with visa overstay in Australia (illegal migrants), commit criminal offences etc therefore logically in many other countries, yet people only rant about Muslim illegal migrants.

Like I said. I don't care about their colour or religion. Illegal is illegal.

But illegal whitey doesn't get much coverage in the media. Nobody is acting as their advocate . However the do gooders never stop pushing "the hard done by poor helpless migrant" story. So many are sick of hearing of their "plight"

 

 

[Grubster]

17 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Plenty of whites with visa overstay in Australia (illegal migrants), commit criminal offences etc therefore logically in many other countries, yet people only rant about Muslim illegal migrants.

Most all waves of immigrants to the US were hated in the beginning, what did they do? They proved their worthiness, melted into the prevailing society and were very much excepted. This is another can of worms, the goal of the Muslim is to change their new environment into something that fits their beliefs. The sooner you realize this the better off you will be.

[the guest]

On 2017-07-13 at 10:20 PM, simple1 said:

Government policy defines those who are illegal migrants, so the content is relevant. I see the usual "deport them all', in a number of cases there would not be a government to government agreement in place to enable deportation e.g. Iran will not accept it's nationals from governments who attempt forcible return.

Then the answer is not to accept any Iranians then, solution is very simple. 

[simple1]

31 minutes ago, Grubster said:

Most all waves of immigrants to the US were hated in the beginning, what did they do? They proved their worthiness, melted into the prevailing society and were very much excepted. This is another can of worms, the goal of the Muslim is to change their new environment into something that fits their beliefs. The sooner you realize this the better off you will be.

Well I have never been affected by Muslims attempting to change my environment, not even when living within a Thai Muslim community in Thailand for four years. IMO there are only a small segment that are actively promoting Sharia etc in Western countries and they ain't going to succeed in the foreseeable future. The sooner you get over your fear the better off you will be.

 

As a step in the right direction, put on the head phones and listen to some jazz funk - probably feel a whole lot better - a recommendation for you - Nils Landgren funk unit

Edited July 15, 2017 by simple1

[simple1]

3 minutes ago, the guest said:

Then the answer is not to accept any Iranians then, solution is very simple. 

I assume you include Iranian Christians and other minorities seeking asylum

[Grubster]

4 hours ago, simple1 said:

Well I have never been affected by Muslims attempting to change my environment, not even when living within a Thai Muslim community in Thailand for four years. IMO there are only a small segment that are actively promoting Sharia etc in Western countries and they ain't going to succeed in the foreseeable future. The sooner you get over your fear the better off you will be.

 

As a step in the right direction, put on the head phones and listen to some jazz funk - probably feel a whole lot better - a recommendation for you - Nils Landgren funk unit

I have been effected by them and I will not tell you how, good luck with your love for those who want to change or eliminate you.

[Scott]

Let's stay on topic here.   Sweden, like a lot of countries, is attempting to expel those that are in the country illegally.