Switzerland reports high criminal accusation rates among North African asylum seekers

Internal evaluations from the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) reveal that 80.5% of asylum seekers from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia were recorded as defendants in criminal proceedings in 2024. This figure is significantly higher than the 12.3% recorded for asylum seekers from all other regions. The data specifically pertains to individuals documented as defendants during or after their legal proceedings and does not imply that 80.5% of all North Africans in Switzerland have been convicted.

Authorities note that the trend is concentrated among young men involved in offenses such as theft, burglaries, and car break-ins. Experts suggest that many in this demographic are irregular economic migrants who may not be deterred by the asylum process or the threat of imprisonment.

In response, Swiss authorities have implemented a “24-hour” rule for accelerated asylum procedures for North African nationals to process claims with low success rates more quickly. The SEM is also working to increase cooperation with North African countries, such as Morocco, to facilitate deportations and is considering stricter rules for administrative detention and the use of coercive measures against repeat offenders.