Mass deportation: In this Dec
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Amid unprecedented waves of migration, the interior minister of Sweden says the coming years could see the deportation from the country of between 60,000 to 80,000 people who have sought asylum.
Here's what we know about what could become an uncomfortable reality for Europe:
' Interior Minister Anders Ygeman is basing the deportation figure on the fact that more than 160,000 people applied for asylum in Sweden last year, and the current rejection rate is about 45 percent.
' Sweden and Germany are prime destinations for those seeking asylum in Europe, and the sharp increase last year of such people almost certainly will also lead to much higher numbers of rejections and deportations.
' The prospect of packing unwilling migrants, even entire families, onto chartered airplanes bound for the Balkans, the Middle East or Africa evokes images that clash with Europe's humanitarian ideals.
' The European Union has urged its member countries to quickly send back those who don't qualify for asylum so that Europe's welcome can be focused on those who do, such as people fleeing war in Syria. (ags)
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