Authorities fooled: Algerian avoids deportation for seven years

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While the Algerian (40) was in Switzerland, he committed several crimes: theft, extortion, receiving stolen property and drug offenses. He was jailed three times and deported twice. And yet he was able to stay in Switzerland for seven years, write the CH Media newspapers.

The man deliberately delayed his deportation. He last tried to blackmail the authorities with a hunger strike in mid-July. The Algerian stated that he could leave the country voluntarily if he received medical treatment and had a metal plate removed from his leg. But the doctors refused because they did not think surgery was necessary.

Prison sentence for risk of escape

The man was already in custody awaiting deportation at that time. There was a risk that he would go into hiding to avoid deportation. A month later, Switzerland was finally able to deport him, after years of sabotaging his deportation.

It all started in January 2016, when the man submitted his first asylum application. After three months, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) made a decision: rejected. He would leave that same year. But medical treatment prevented her from returning. In 2017, the Algerian tried to obtain refugee status again and filed a request for reconsideration. However, without success.

Algerians falsify their identity

In the period that followed, forced return to Algeria became difficult, so the rejected Algerian remained in Switzerland. In 2019, the SEM tried to obtain travel documents again. But it turns out that the Algerian had applied for asylum in 2016 under the wrong name and age. He also refused to obtain return documents himself.

This was followed by the pandemic in 2020, which largely halted deportations. And so it would ultimately take another three years before the Algerian returned to his home country. Even the last time they tried to obtain travel documents, the Swiss authorities had to wait more than half a year.

Repatriations have improved

The Algerian’s story is an example of how rejected asylum seekers can avoid deportation for years. But the federal government managed to make improvements in its relations with the Algerian authorities. Algeria must now cooperate better, Migration Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider (59) announced this summer.

This is also confirmed by representatives of the cantons and federal statistics. Accordingly, 466 Algerians returned voluntarily or under duress last year. A new record. Switzerland is now the most consistent in Europe. In 2020, it successfully carried out 57 percent of the imposed evictions. In the EU, the enforcement rate is only about 30 percent.

From the perspective of the Federal Council, Switzerland records a higher value thanks to numerous readmission and migration agreements. But return aid and accelerated asylum procedures could also contribute. (rba)

Source:Blick