The Swedish Migration Agency’s decision to deport 9-year-old Lisa to Albania arouses strong reactions.
Now comes criticism that the Swedish Migration Agency made its assessment of what is in the child’s best interest – without even having met Lisa or the family home.
– In this case, I find it difficult to see how the best interests of the child have been taken into account, says Louise Dane, lawyer at the Asylum Rights Centre.
Nine-year-old Lisa was born in Sweden and has lived in the same family home for five years. But now she is to be deported to an orphanage in Albania, even though the family home has custody of her. Lisa was only one year old when she first came to the Backström family outside Lidköping, and where she has lived for the past four years.
– She doesn’t have anyone there. We are her family, her security. It would be a huge trauma. And she doesn’t know Albanian. She neither understands nor speaks Albanian, says Paulina Backström, who received custody of Lisa last year.
The Swedish Migration Agency says that there is no reason for Lisa to stay in Sweden. They say that she is an Albanian citizen and that “the legislation is not designed so that everyone should have as good a time as the children have in Sweden”
Haven’t met Lisa
Despite statements from the social services that claim that the best thing for Lisa would be if she stayed in Sweden – the Migration Agency has decided that Lisa should be deported. Asylum law centers are critical.
– This assessment is made at a stage where the Swedish Migration Agency has not even met Lisa. You should be clear about what the Swedish Migration Agency put into the assessment of what is best for the child’s best interests and why, says Louise Dane, lawyer at the Asylum Law Centre.
When an assessment is made about what is best for the child, you need to look at all the rights in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, says Louise Dane.
– In this case, I find it difficult to read what has been taken into account in the assessment and why it has been concluded that the best thing is for her to be in Albania.
Best interest of the child
The Swedish Migration Agency believes that they have followed what is best for the child’s best interests.
– We always do that, says Jesper Tengroth, press manager of the Swedish Migration Agency.
– Here we have established that the girl lacks the right to a residence permit in Sweden.
Is it not reasonable to follow the opinion of the social services?
– It is one of many parameters. Our task is to weigh up the statements and compare them with what is stated in the Aliens Act to determine whether a person has the right to obtain a residence permit in Sweden.