Sweden: Deporting young people as soon as they turn 18 sparks a political and humanitarian crisis ahead of the Swedish elections

According to DR, Jomana Gad, an 18-year-old Egyptian-born woman, received a shocking decision from the Swedish Migration Agency to refuse her a residence permit and deport her from the country, even though she has lived in Sweden since she was four years old, while the rest of her family was allowed to stay in the city of Upplands Väsby.

DR's Nordic and Baltic correspondent, Per Bang Thomsen, described the shock Jumana Jad and her family experienced when they received the deportation order shortly before the end of last year. "It's a very inhumane decision," Jumana Jad told Swedish TV4. Visibly moved, she added, "I have no one there," referring to Egypt, emphasizing, "My whole life is here.".

An individual case turned into a widespread national controversy.

The DR website explained that Jumana Jad’s case is no longer just an individual case, but has become part of a broad debate in Sweden about what is known as “teenage deportation,” a term that refers to the deportation of young people as soon as they reach the age of 18.

The website noted that this issue has become the focus of a heated political debate within the Swedish parliament, the Riksdagen, especially with the general elections approaching in about six months, as political confrontations between parties escalate over the extent to which immigration policy should be tightened or relaxed.

Legal changes impose new conditions on young people

DR also stated that the main reason behind these cases is that once young people reach the age of 18, they legally become adults and independent, and therefore they cannot automatically obtain a residence permit based on their parents' status, but must submit independent applications and meet the legal requirements themselves.

The website explained that Swedish law previously allowed young people to remain in the country based on so-called “particularly sensitive circumstances,” such as being born in Sweden, speaking Swedish, or having family there. However, the conservative coalition government abolished this exception at the end of 2023 with the support of the Sweden Democrats and the Social Democrats, making it more difficult for young people to stay and sparking widespread criticism.

Other cases reflect the scale of the problem

DR noted that other Swedish media outlets have reported similar cases. SVT, for example, reported the story of 19-year-old Ece Akkus, a high school student in Karlstad, who faces deportation to Turkey.

The newspaper Aftonbladet also reported the story of 19-year-old Iliya, who arrived in Sweden from Iran with his mother when he was eight years old, but whose residency application was rejected, while his mother was granted permanent residency. Iliya told the newspaper, “I’ve lived here for over ten years, and I have almost no memories of Iran.”.

Poll shows majority support for easing laws

According to DR, a poll conducted by the newspaper Aftonbladet revealed that 66 percent of Swedes support reinstating the legal exception that allows young people over the age of 18 to remain in the country based on "particularly sensitive circumstances," while only 20 percent oppose it. However, there are still no clear indications that this exception will be reinstated.

The opposition condemns the decision, describing it as inappropriate.

The DR website explained that the opposition parties, including the Green Party (Miljøpartiet), the Left Party (Venstrepartiet), and the Centre Party (Centerpartiet), voted in favor of a proposal to reinstate the legal exception and amend the laws so that young people up to the age of 21 can obtain a residence permit based on their family's situation.

Tony Haddou, the Left Party's immigration spokesman, said, according to DR: "This is not befitting a country like Sweden.".

Social Democrats criticize despite rejecting the amendment to the law
The DR website reported that the Social Democratic Party, which polls indicate is the largest party in Sweden, rejected the proposal, much to the dismay of the rest of the left-wing parties, although the party itself expressed concern about the deportations.

Ida Karkiainen, the party's spokesperson on immigration issues, said: "It is not reasonable to deport young people who have lived most of their lives in Sweden, speak Swedish well, and have done everything correctly. This does not solve Sweden's integration problems in any way.".

The government is seeking compromise solutions as the controversy continues.

DR noted that the issue has sparked debate even within the conservative coalition government, which has tightened immigration policies since coming to power in 2022, including abolishing the possibility of converting an asylum application into a work permit and increasing minimum wage requirements for foreign workers.

The Liberal Party (Liberalerne) has called for a legal mechanism to halt deportations. Immigration Minister Johan Forssell of the Moderate Party told the newspaper Dagens Nyheter: “We want strict rules for family reunification. This is an important starting point, and it’s what we promised the Swedish people. But it’s also important that the rules be reasonable. That’s what we’re looking into now.”.

The leader of the Sweden Democrats party expresses willingness to review policy.

The Swedish news site DR reported that Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats party, known for his hardline stance on immigration, expressed his willingness to consider controversial cases. He wrote in the newspaper Aftonbladet: “Murderers, rapists, and security threats should be deported, while young people who are working or studying, have integrated into Swedish society, and have made it their home should be given a chance.”.

A moving plea from Jumana Jad as she awaits the court's verdict.

As reported by DR, Jumana Jad has appealed her deportation order and is awaiting a final decision. In a poignant message to officials, she told TV4, “If these were your children, would you deport them when they turned 18? I’m simply asking you to review the laws and regulations to make them fairer, so that only the right people are deported.”.

A crisis likely to escalate as elections approach

DR concluded its report by noting that the issue of deporting young people after the age of 18 has become a prominent political and humanitarian issue in Sweden, highlighting the tension between tightening immigration laws and humanitarian considerations, especially with the general elections approaching, while many young people like Jumana Jad await their fate amid a rising national debate about the future of the country’s immigration policy.