Here's what's really going on with refugees and crime in Sweden

Advertisement

donald trump rally

Reuters/Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during his "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017.

Sweden was pulled into America's ongoing debate over refugee resettlement last weekend, after President Donald Trump implied Saturday that an ominous incident had occurred "last night in Sweden" as a result of the country's generous immigration policies.

Advertisement

Trump critics and Swedes themselves were quick to rebut the statement, noting that no such incident had occurred Friday night - although Trump later clarified that he had been referring to a Fox News segment alleging a wave of migrant-related crime and violence had swept Sweden.

"Give the public a break - The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!" Trump subsequently tweeted Monday.

The comments ricocheted around social media, whipping up both condemnation and praise for Sweden's generous refugee and immigration policies, and stirred debate over the consequences of allowing so many newcomers to flow into the country over so short a period of time.

Sweden took in a record 160,000 asylum seekers in 2015 - more per capita than any other European country - although that number has dropped to just 29,000 in 2016 after the country introduced new restrictions.

Advertisement

But Trump's comments on Saturday, and Horowitz's comments on "Tucker Carlson Tonight," weren't the first criticisms that have been leveled against Sweden's massive refugee intake.

Here are some of the issues and facts.