Townships reject more refugees

Many local municipalities in Norway are refusing to accept more refugees, and struggling with what they say are the “skyrocketing” costs of integration. Only one in five has taken in as many refugees as the state government wished. Many of Norway’s municipalities (kommuner) believe that the government is trying to settle too many refugees, according [...]

Man indicted for spying on refugees

A 38-year-old man from Sudan has been indicted for allegedly spying on refugees from his homeland, and handing his information over to the Embassy of Sudan in Oslo. The information is believed to have endangered the lives of the refugees. Embassy officials have consistently denied involvement in the spying case, which led to an expulsion [...]

Nathan’s family can stay in Norway

UPDATED: The family of a little boy born in Bergen to refugees from Ethiopia was back in the national news this week and relieved after winning a court victory allowing them to remain in Norway. Their relief could turn to joy on Wednesday, when Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported that immigration authorities wouldn’t appeal the ruling [...]

Afghan interpreters granted asylum

The Norwegian justice ministry has granted asylum to 21 Afghan interpreters who worked for Norwegian forces during the NATO-led war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Taliban forces reportedly had threatened to execute them. “After a comprehensive evaluation, the ministry has decided that 21 of the applicants for asylum fulfill the requirements as refugees,” Pål Lønseth, [...]

Massive support for refugee children

In a case where emotions are running high but principles weigh heavily, a little boy testified in court this week in a plea to let he and his refugee parents stay in Norway. Overwhelming public support for seven-year-old Nathan Eshete, especially from his hometown of Bergen, has put the government under severe pressure to grant [...]

Support grows for refugee children facing deportation

Thousands of Norwegians took to the streets around the country over the weekend, to protest the government’s so-far unwavering demand that children of parents who have had their asylum applications rejected be returned to their parents’ homeland. For the government, it’s a matter of principle. Just because the parents mounted lengthy appeals that dragged on [...]

More asylum seekers under wraps

The number of asylum seekers needing extra protection, or whose applications are considered especially sensitive in Norway, has nearly quadrupled in the past five years. Immigration authorities are now handling 775 cases involving skjermede personer – persons whose identities are being kept firmly under wraps. In such cases, reported newspaper Aftenposten on Thursday, neither employees [...]

Supreme Court deals major blow to refugee families with children

Norway’s highest court rejected an appeal on Friday from two refugee families seeking to stay in Norway with their children. The ruling is expected to have consequences for around 450 other children in Norway whose parents are deemed illegal aliens. Friday’s ruling means that nine-year-old Mahdi Shabazi of Rjukan in Telemark County will be deported [...]

Critics protest asylum center raids

Norwegian authorities are cracking down once again on rejected refugees, raiding asylum centers around the country to round up and deport those whose applications for asylum have been rejected. The raids have spurred protests from refugee advocates. As many as 70 police officers raided an asylum center in Sandnessjøen in northern Norway this week, to [...]

Krekar sentenced to new jail term

Mullah Krekar, the former refugee from northern Iraq who later was deemed a threat to national security in Norway, has been handed another jail term on Wednesday for making more threats of his own. The Oslo City Court sentenced Krekar to prison for another year for trying to influence witnesses and encouraging criminal acts. Krekar [...]

State boosts financial aid for rejected refugees

Families whose applications for asylum in Norway have been rejected by state authorities are now being offered more financial aid if they leave the country voluntarily. Officials at state immigration agency UDI (Utlendingsdirektoratet) are offering parents NOK 10,000 in cash (around USD 1,700) per child if they return to their homelands willingly, instead of subjecting [...]

Most new residents come from elsewhere in Europe

Nearly 25,000 citizens from countries within the European Economic Area (the EU plus Iceland and Liechtenstein) registered themselves as resident in Norway during the first half of this year. Another 17,500 persons from outside the European area received residence permission as well. The numbers show how immigration is fueling Norway’s population growth, and how Norway’s [...]

Troops rescue kidnapped aid workers

UPDATED: Four aid workers for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Kenya were found and rescued by Somalian security forces after being kidnapped in an attack on a council convoy just before the weekend. Among them was 33-year-old Norwegian Astrid Sehl, a communications worker for the council. Their rescue was as dramatic as their abduction, according [...]

Still no sign of kidnapped aid workers

Norwegian Refugee Council officials claimed they were doing all they could to search for four aid workers who were kidnapped on Friday when their convoy was attacked by armed men outside the Dadaab refugee camp in eastern Kenya. One of the council’s drivers was shot and killed and three council workers were wounded. Elisabeth Rasmusson, [...]

Progress Party sends a message to refugees: ‘Live like Norwegians!’

Norway’s most conservative party is proposing new criteria for approval of refugees’ applications for asylum in Norway: Dress like Norwegians, communicate in Norwegian, get a job, respect Norwegian culture and attitudes, don’t exploit welfare programs and stay out of trouble with the police. The spokesman for the Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet, Frp) on immigration issues, Morten [...]

Next Page »