Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson has called for an immediate pause on teenage deportations until new migration legislation is in place. According to multiple Swedish media reports, Åkesson stated that deportations of 18-year-olds who have lived most of their lives in Sweden should be halted while the government works on what he called a 'vent' in migration rules.
Åkesson told Dagens Nyheter that the purpose of migration policy was never to deport 18-year-old girls attending high school and living with their parents to countries their families fled from. He argued that it would be more reasonable to pause deportations rather than hastily implement regulations that might not be properly targeted.
the purpose of migration policy was never to deport 18-year-old girls attending high school and living with their parents to countries their families fled from
The Sweden Democrats leader's position aligns with opposition parties who have been calling for a faster stop to these deportations. The government has reportedly been working on new legislation to address the issue, but Åkesson believes this process takes time and an immediate pause is necessary.
According to Migrationsverket, the Swedish Migration Agency, these cases often involve individuals who arrived in Sweden in their late teens and therefore haven't had time to obtain permanent residency, which requires three years of residence before application. The issue has sparked significant political debate in Sweden following several high-profile cases of teenagers facing deportation despite having family members with residence permits in the country.