European migration and criminal deportation trends

In Switzerland, internal evaluations from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) indicated that 80.5% of asylum seekers from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia were recorded as defendants in criminal proceedings in 2024, a rate significantly higher than the 12.3% recorded for other regions. Authorities noted these offenses, such as theft and burglary, were concentrated among young men. In response, Switzerland implemented a “24-hour” rule for accelerated asylum procedures for certain North African nationals and sought increased cooperation with countries like Morocco to facilitate deportations.

Similarly, Belgium reported a record number of criminal deportations in 2026, forcibly returning 1,239 individuals who had completed prison sentences and lacked valid residency permits. The most frequent nationalities among those deported included Moroccans, Albanians, and Algerians. The Belgian Minister of Justice attributed this increase to improved political priorities and formal return agreements, such as one established with Algeria in April, though some local officials criticized the government’s management of undocumented individuals.