https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The upper house of the Swiss parliament on Wednesday came out against a motion pushing for Eritreans who have failed to win asylum in Switzerland to be sent home as soon as possible. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180920/swiss-senate-rejects-call-to-speed-up-deportation-of-failed-eritrean-asylum-seekers Thu, 20 Sep 2018 11:24:16 +0200 swiss-senate-rejects-call-to-speed-up-deportation-of-failed-eritrean-asylum-seekers A new court ruling opens the door for the deportation of Eritreans who have failed in their bid to win asylum in Switzerland even if they if they face national service back home. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180712/swiss-court-rules-eritreans-who-face-national-service-can-be-deported Thu, 12 Jul 2018 16:55:52 +0200 swiss-court-rules-eritreans-who-face-national-service-can-be-deported Over a thousand Eritreans protested outside the Swiss national parliament on Friday against tough new rules that could see as many as 3,200 people returned to the autocratic African country. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180518/eritreans-protest-in-bern-against-tough-new-asylum-rules Fri, 18 May 2018 16:27:55 +0200 eritreans-protest-in-bern-against-tough-new-asylum-rules A Swiss government pilot project expected to launch this year promises to improve care and accommodation for underage asylum seekers. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170217/provision-for-teenage-asylum-seekers-to-be-stepped-up Fri, 17 Feb 2017 11:36:05 +0100 provision-for-teenage-asylum-seekers-to-be-stepped-up Switzerland has slammed shut its open-door policy toward Eritreans which had automatically granted them refugee status. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170203/switzerland-toughens-up-rules-for-eritrean-asylum-seekers Fri, 03 Feb 2017 09:34:42 +0100 switzerland-toughens-up-rules-for-eritrean-asylum-seekers Amnesty International has asked the Swiss federal government to investigate reports that child migrants arriving at the Swiss-Italian border are being prevented from joining family in Switzerland. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160811/amnesty-concerned-over-child-migrants-at-swiss-italian-border Thu, 11 Aug 2016 14:08:44 +0200 amnesty-concerned-over-child-migrants-at-swiss-italian-border Authorities in a Swiss village have told landlords not to let their properties to asylum seekers for fear they may settle permanently in the area and become a financial burden. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160714/swiss-village-tells-landlords-dont-rent-to-refugees Thu, 14 Jul 2016 11:59:07 +0200 swiss-village-tells-landlords-dont-rent-to-refugees More than 1,300 illegal immigrants attempted to get into Switzerland via a border with Italy in the first week of July, a new record. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160712/ticino-tackles-record-number-of-illegal-immigrants Tue, 12 Jul 2016 13:55:24 +0200 ticino-tackles-record-number-of-illegal-immigrants Too many Eritrean asylum seekers are arriving in Lucerne, according to the cantonal authorities, who have sent a letter of complaint about Switzerland’s "overly generous" asylum policy to Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150806/luzern-complains-about-influx-of-eritreans Thu, 06 Aug 2015 13:09:34 +0200 luzern-complains-about-influx-of-eritreans Plans by the canton of Aargau to start putting asylum seekers up in army tents from next week amid a shortage of suitable accommodation have met with mixed reactions. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150723/aargau-sparks-debate-with-tents-for-asylum-seekers Thu, 23 Jul 2015 13:45:02 +0200 aargau-sparks-debate-with-tents-for-asylum-seekers Almost 12,000 applications for asylum were lodged in Switzerland in the first six months of 2015 with Eritreans accounting for more than half. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150720/switzerland-sees-big-jump-in-asylum-seekers Mon, 20 Jul 2015 16:17:47 +0200 switzerland-sees-big-jump-in-asylum-seekers The head of the cantonal government of Ticino is warning that the border with Italy will have to be closed to refugees to stem the tide of asylum seekers entering Switzerland. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150622/ticino-threatens-italian-border-closure-for-refugees Mon, 22 Jun 2015 11:17:48 +0200 ticino-threatens-italian-border-closure-for-refugees A village in the canton of Zurich faces having to raise taxes next year because of social costs amounting to 60,000 francs a month to support a family of refugees, Blick newspaper reported online on Monday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140915/village-faces-tax-hikes-over-familys-social-costs Mon, 15 Sep 2014 11:27:00 +0200 village-faces-tax-hikes-over-familys-social-costs The number of asylum applications increased by 34 percent in the last quarter, but the number of departures is rising too, new figures show. https://www.thelocal.ch/20120719/asylum-applications-on-the-rise Thu, 19 Jul 2012 12:11:00 +0200 asylum-applications-on-the-rise