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Irregular immigration in Switzerland: arrests almost tripled in 2022

2023-01-19T18:41:27.369Z


Arrests for irregular immigration almost tripled in 2022 in Switzerland, exceeding 52,000 people, according to statistics published...


Arrests for irregular immigration almost tripled in 2022 in Switzerland, exceeding 52,000 people, according to statistics published Thursday by the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security.

The number of people arrested for illegal residence in Switzerland has increased sharply over the past three years, rising from 11,043 in 2020, to 18,859 in 2021 and 52,077 last year.

The December figure is down from November, but up sharply year on year.

Last December, 5,965 migrants were arrested, compared to 2,617 in December 2021.

A major part of Afghans and Moroccans

"

This value is mainly due to the irregular entries into Switzerland of migrants by the eastern border as well as by the southern border in Ticino

", namely Austria and Italy, indicated the Federal Office.

Most of the irregular migrants arriving in December are Afghans and Moroccans.

The number of suspected smugglers (476) is however practically unchanged compared to last year (478).

Since 1900, the population in Switzerland has more than doubled;

while it reached 3.3 million, today Switzerland has 8.7 million inhabitants, including 2.2 million foreigners.

Although not a member of the European Union, Switzerland is part of the Schengen area and Swiss customs officers therefore do not carry out systematic identity checks at the borders with neighboring countries (France, Germany, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein).

Read alsoImmigration: does France deport more people in an irregular situation than its neighbors?

Irregular migration had declined during the Covid-19 pandemic, but has increased since the lifting of restrictions in most countries.

It has increased sharply in recent months, particularly via the Balkan route.

At the end of September, Austria and Switzerland agreed on an "

action plan

" to counter this development, including the deployment of joint patrols in cross-border rail traffic.

Serbia implicated

The countries of the European Union - and Switzerland - reproached Serbia in October for serving as a gateway to the EU for Turkish, Indian, Tunisian, Cuban and Burundian migrants, exempted from visas until then for travel to Serbia, which is not part of the EU.

"

Switzerland is also strongly impacted by these migratory movements, recording up to 1,100 interceptions per week on the eastern border

", indicated in October the State Secretariat for Migration.

Since then, Serbia has announced a visa system for Tunisians and Burundians.

In 2022, Switzerland received around 24,000 ordinary asylum seekers as well as around 75,000 Ukrainians who benefit from a specific protection status, says S.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2023-01-19

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