The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported that the number of illegal migrants defying rejections to their asylum application and deportation rulings in Finland is estimated at around several thousands.
The notion of an electronic ankle bracelet – known in Scandinavia as “electronic fetters” – is cheaper alternative to putting all illegal immigrants in physical custody.
The Aliens Act would require several conditions for detention, including risk of escape, suspicion of crime or a threat to national security. With ankle bracelets in place, Finnish authorities will now be able to keep track of illegals.
The question of whether the electronic bracelets would also apply to children and minors, remains unresolved however.
If the law is passed, all immigrants would be implicated, but especially to those who have had their asylum applications rejected.
Imprisonment is also generally reserved only for individuals deemed dangerous to the public.
A scientific report issued earlier this year, estimated that the number of so-called “paperless migrants” who have decided to stay in Finland without a legal residence permit or despite being rejected, is as high as 8 000, up from the previous 4 000.
The researchers partly blamed the government, municipalities, responsible ministries and the police, who had failed to execute deportation decisions.
The requirement for electronic fetters has been pushed by Finland’s major parties, the Social Democrats and the Centre Party, and junior parties – the Greens, the Left Alliance and the Swedish People’s Party – have had to accept the fact.
While the Finnish Social Democrats and the Centre support a strict refugee policy, the Greens, the Left Alliance and the SFP would like to raise the current quota of migrants. But the future coalition government will likely not budge on the highly contentious issue of immigration.
Antti Rinne, who leads the government talks for the Social Democrats and aspires to become Finland’s next prime minister, has repeatedly promised action.
In Denmark, proposals from the Danish People’s Party that would confine Muslim “ghetto children” to their homes after 8 pm have been rejected as too radical, after Martin Henriksen, the chairman of Parliament’s integration committee, suggested that young people in these areas could be fitted with electronic ankle bracelets to monitor them.