Sweden Deporting Young People— Forced Out as They ‘Age Out,’ as Families Remain

Ayla, 21, Jomana, 18, and Ilya, 19, came to Sweden as children, though at different ages and under different circumstances. Today they face the same reality: all have been ordered to leave the country alone while their families remain.

These cases stem from Sweden’s increasingly restrictive migration policy, under which young people who turn 18 before obtaining permanent residency are no longer considered part of their parents’ family unit. The Swedish Migration Agency states that residency based on parental ties is granted only in exceptional cases involving “special dependency.” A normal parent-child relationship is not sufficient.

On February 17, 2025, a multiparty proposal to stop these deportations did not gain a majority in the Parliamentary Committee on Social Insurance, despite cross-party recognition that the practice separates families.