directorate of immigration
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Hunger Striking Asylum Seeker Moved To Higher Security Location
Now on the 10th day of his hunger strike, Iraqi asylum seeker Raisan Al-shihmani has been moved to a shelter with 24-hour security. At the conclusion of The Grapevine’s interview with Raisan last Tuesday, he was paid a visit by two Reykjavík…
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Leaving The Church For Helping Asylum Seekers
A local police chief is so upset that Laugarneskirkja church provided sanctuary to asylum seekers that he is de-registering himself from the church. Vísir reports that Ólafur Helgi Kjartansson, the chief of police in Suðurnes, has left the church over last week’s…
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Documents Contradict Immigration’s Contentions
A recently deported Iraqi asylum seeker is only 16-years-old, new documentation shows, contradicting assertions from the Directorate of Immigration (UTL) that he is an adult. Ali Nasir, an asylum seeker from Iraq, was amongst those dragged from church by police and sent…
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Iraqi Asylum Seeker Now In 8th Day Of Hunger Strike
An Iraqi man who fled his country because he did not want to kill is now in the eighth day of his hunger strike, protesting his deportation and others. Raisan Al-shihmani, an asylum seeker who fled Iraq in September 2015 and has…
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Pregnant, With Two Kids, And Facing Deportation
A Nigerian asylum seeker, who is 12 weeks pregnant and has two small boys, is facing deportation to a country she left at the age of six. The Grapevine met with Regina Osarumaese, a Nigerian woman who left her home country when…
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Bishop Calls On Gov’t To Show Compassion For Asylum Seekers; Hunger Strike Begins
An Iraqi asylum seeker is now on his third day of a hunger strike. Meanwhile, the Bishop of Iceland is calling for more compassion towards asylum seekers. Raisan Shihmani, an asylum seeker who fled Iraq in September 2015 and has been in…
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Deported Iraqis Now In Norwegian Jail, President-Elect Displeased
The Iraqi asylum seekers deported from Iceland earlier this week are now in Norwegian jail, and will soon be sent back to Iraq. President-elect Guðni Th. Jóhannesson has expressed his disapproval of the deportation, and it has come to light that police…
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Iraqi Deportation “An Example Of A Rule Applied Mercilessly”
A lawyer for the Red Cross has harshly criticised the deportation of an Iraqi youth as being harsh and unnecessary. “This is a really good example of when the Dublin Regulation is applied in the merciless way that is actually done,” Red…
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Interior Ministry Confirms: No Volunteers Or Journalists For Asylum Seekers
Citing “humanitarian reasons”, the Interior Ministry has confirmed UTL’s policy of forbidding volunteers and journalists from visiting asylum seekers where they live – even if the asylum seekers themselves invited them. Stundin reports that the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the…
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Iraqi Teenager Dragged From Church By Police, Faces Deportation
Video shows a 16-year-old Iraqi boy was amongst the asylum seekers dragged out of an Icelandic church’s sanctuary, and faces deportation back to his home country. Stundin reports that Toshiki Toma, the Lutheran church’s minister for immigrants, and Kristín Þórunn Tómasdóttir, the…
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Volunteers Forbidden From Visiting Asylum Seekers
An immigration official told one volunteer the visits are banned because “making their home lives easier is not on offer.” Stundin reports that volunteers who attempt to visit any of the group homes housing asylum seekers have been banned from these locations.…
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A Matter Of Life And Death: The Sad, Strange Case Of Eze Okafor
As I write this, Nigerian asylum seeker Eze Okafor is on the streets of Sweden. He owns little more than the clothes on his back, has nowhere to sleep, and barring some kind of authoritative intervention, will soon be sent back to…
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Protest And Sit-In At Interior Ministry – PHOTOS & VIDEO
About 60 people protested at the Ministry of the Interior today, calling upon authorities to bring Nigerian asylum seeker Eze Okafor back to Iceland. Minister of the Interior Ólöf Nordal would not meet with the protestors. At 12:30 today, about 60 Icelanders,…
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UTL Ignores Appeals Board, Deports Asylum Seeker Anyway
Despite a ruling from the Immigration Appeals Board that a Nigerian man who sought asylum four years ago cannot be deported on the grounds of the Dublin Regulation, The Grapevine has learned that he was arrested this afternoon, taken into custody, and…
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Immigration Directorate Suppressing Coverage Of Asylum Seekers
Video has emerged showing security at a home for asylum seekers threatening reporters with the police and sending them packing. The Directorate of Immigration (UTL) reportedly later tried to block the footage from being aired. Nútíminn reports that RÚV’s news analysis show…
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Albanian Family Denied Case Review, Faces Deportation
The Immigration Appeals Board has refused to examine the case of an Albanian family seeking asylum, and their deportation is impending. An announcement from No Borders Iceland to the media reports that the Dega family, comprised of two parents and three children,…
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Deportation Delayed While Appeals Board Deliberates
The Immigration Appeals Board will examine residence permit applications from two Syrian asylum seekers who were to be deported last Tuesday. RÚV reports that while their applications for asylum have been rejected, they have applied for residency. As such, their deportation has…
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Deportation Delayed For The Time Being
The impending deportation of two Syrian asylum seekers has been delayed, although it is still uncertain if or when they will be sent to Bulgaria. “They will not be deported tonight or tomorrow,” lawyer Helga Vala Helgadóttir told MBL last night. “But…
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Another Deportation Decision Protested At Interior Ministry – VIDEO
About 30 protesters converged on the Ministry of the Interior today to protest another deportation decision made by the Directorate of Immigration. One of the organisers explained their demands for Grapevine. In light of a recent decision from the Directorate of Immigration…
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Syrian Asylum Seekers To Be Sent To Bulgaria
Two asylum seekers from Syria are to be deported to Bulgaria, despite international condemnation of asylum seeker treatment in Bulgaria. Stundin reports that Ahmad Aldzasem and Wajden S. Rmmo, two Syrians who sought asylum in Iceland, are to be deported this Tuesday…
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Vietnamese Couple Win Against Immigration Directorate
The Data Protection Authority has found in favour of a Vietnamese couple whose marriage made headlines last October, when the two were falsely accused of conducting a scam for getting a residence permit. Last year, Thi Thuy Nguyen and Hao Van Tio…
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Albanian Family To Be Deported
An Albanian family has been denied the right to appeal their impending deportation in court, in possible violation of domestic and international law. Vísir reports that the family, which includes three children, came to Iceland last year, seeking asylum from political persecution…
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Protest At Interior Ministry
About 60 people gathered at the Ministry of the Interior to protest the impending deportation of three asylum seekers. Minister of the Interior Ólöf Nordal was not present, but ministry staff accepted written statements from involved parties. As reported, Christian Kwaku Boadi…