The Sweden Democrats’ women’s wing is demanding that the government quickly find a solution to the much-debated “teen deportations.” They want to see special exemption rules—a “safety valve”—that would allow young adults to remain in Sweden even if they formally do not have the right to a residence permit. The move puts clear internal pressure on the party leadership, which wants to avoid a repeat of the 2018 fallout from the “high school law.” Åkesson, however, signals the possibility to ‘pause.’
The Sweden Democrats’ women’s wing is now stepping into the heated political discussion regarding the so-called teen deportations. The organization believes the issue needs urgent resolution.
Elin Jensen, board member of SD Women and opposition regional councillor in Örebro, tells national radio that there needs to be the possibility for exemptions in individual cases.
– Some kind of safety valve is needed, we believe, and the government needs to put a proposal on the table now so these deportations stop for those who do the right thing.
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According to Jensen, these are young people who have established themselves in Sweden and are seen as contributing positively to Swedish society but still risk being deported upon turning 18, as they then require their own residence permit—they no longer have the right to stay under their parents’ permit.
When Children Turn 18, Residence Permits May Expire
The highlighted cases involve young people who came to Sweden as children together with their parents. In many situations, the parents have the right to stay in the country—through, for example, work permits or other types of residency—while the children lack their own grounds for staying when they become adults.
When the individual turns 18, their right to remain in Sweden is reviewed. If the requirements for their own residence permit are not met, the result may be rejection and deportation, even though the rest of the family stays.
Several such individual cases have recently gained significant media attention and sparked debate over how the legislation is structured.
Issue Under Negotiation in the Tidö Agreement
The so-called teen deportations are currently one of the immigration issues being discussed among the parties in the Tidö Agreement. The ambition is to present a solution soon, but the details are still being negotiated.
SD Women want a clear stance and argue that the issue is important to many party members. According to Elin Jensen, the women’s wing has been contacted by members expressing concern over the attention these deportation cases have received.
– People reach out, worried that we are deporting individuals who are doing good here in Sweden and want to help build the country, she tells SR.
According to Ekot, the issue was also raised at a recent Sweden Democrats party board meeting earlier this week.
Want to Avoid Another High School Law Fiasco
Meanwhile, there is some caution from the party leadership. There is reportedly understanding for the women’s wing’s desire for a solution, but it is emphasized that any potential legal change needs to be carefully designed.
The background is the negative experience from the so-called high school law introduced in 2018. That law made it possible for thousands of young asylum seekers—mainly so-called unaccompanied minors from Afghanistan—to get a new chance at a residence permit after previous rejections, provided they were enrolled in high school.
In total, an estimated 5,500 to 7,500 people were allowed to stay through these special exemption rules. The reform was highly debated and criticized for creating complicated rules, legal uncertainty, and arbitrariness.
For those reasons, SD leadership wants to avoid introducing a new solution resembling that model, with a multitude of exceptions, special rights, and safety valves.
Åkesson Signals a ‘Pause’
After a handful of individual cases became affected by the rules in unintended ways, SD leader Jimmie Åkesson is now also signaling a pause for the so-called teen deportations until some form of “safety valve” is in place to ensure that productive and well-behaved 18-year-olds are not thrown out with the bathwater.
– I think that would be the most reasonable thing to do, instead of rushing forward with something that misses the target as well, says the SD leader in a comment to DN.