Sweden Looks to Deport Migrants Failing to Live ‘Honourable’ Lifestyles

Sweden could revoke residency from migrants who have “shortcomings in lifestyle” including associating with criminal gangs or committing benefit fraud as part of a crackdown.

Sweden’s government has said it is investigating passing legislation to tighten up requirements on migrants to the country, including asking them to live lives compatible with basic standards of probity. A government statement says a special investigation will review the law and could ultimately seek to “remove foreigners from the country due to shortcomings in their way of life”.

These “lifestyle defects” that could see migrants moved on could include, reports the Swedish state broadcaster SVT, committing benefit fraud or otherwise taking advantage of the welfare system, expressing contempt of the democratic system, living dishonestly, abusing others, or being involved in criminal gangs.

On the motivations for the change, a government policy paper reports: “The extensive immigration of recent years in combination with lack of integration has contributed to Sweden today facing major challenges with exclusion and crime. In order to break and reverse the negative development, the government is implementing extensive reforms to achieve a responsible, tight and long -term sustainable migration policy.”

Another remigration initiative presently being considered in Sweden is one mooted in the city of Linköping, where the Sweden Democrat council group leader says the region should consider hiring migration ‘influencers’ to speak on the benefits of voluntary repatriation on social media, reports newspaper Aftonbladet.

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