Sweden Reinstates Border Controls���Sort Of

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Sweden, which has long supported a lax asylum policy, reinstated border controls on Thursday as the country sees itself overrun by migrants. 

The migration crisis that has hit Europe this year has been especially tough on tiny Sweden, a nation of under 10 million people (Los Angeles County has a higher population). As a matter of fact, as a percentage of its population, Sweden has ���welcomed��� more refugees than any other European nation this year. In addition to the constraints on housing and resources, the unchecked migration to Sweden has given rise to a pronounced backlash against the asylum seekers; anti-immigrant rhetoric in Sweden is gaining favor, there has been a rash of arson attacks against migrants this year, and the right-wing Sweden Democrats party has gained noticeable support, according to opinion polls.

Swedish police are now performing identification checks on train passengers traveling from Denmark to Sweden, and are doing the same at ferry terminals.

That said, it is unclear just what the return of ���border controls��� means, precisely. According to Anders Danielsson, the person in charge of the Swedish Migration Agency, border controls are not intended to stop those seeking asylum from entering the country. As he puts it, their cases will be heard, but that the country needs to ���regain control.���

To be honest, until Sweden decides to simply slam the door shut and prevent migrants from enjoying unfettered access to the country, there is no reason for anyone there to believe that government is doing anything close to ���regaining control.���