stationed in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Labour immigration Once it took office in October 2006, the Reinfeldt Cabinet set a new aim for Swedish migration policy, which was to increase the opportunities for labour immigration. Billström emphasised the importance of creating a balance in the policy area where asylum issues often dominate. He also pointed out that labour immigration today is a way to help developing countries beyond the traditional aid. Re-establishment support The government implemented, on 1 August 2007, a re-establishment support to facilitate the repatriation of those who have had their asylum applications rejected. Middle East Billström stated that countries in Europe and the world should help refugees from Iraq. He emphasised the need for a very strong common asylum and migration policy, and that this could give more Iraqis in need of protection to access this. The work was given a start with the article that Billström wrote with Cecilia Malmström in the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. The message has since been represented to the Council of the European Union and at several international conferences where Billström represented Sweden, including in Geneva and in Sharm el-Sheikh. From 30 March until 4 April 2007, Billström, as the first European Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy, made a trip to Syria and Jordan to create a picture of the situation of the Iraqi refugees residing there. At the time he was interviewed in Damascus by Sveriges Radio. In classified documents revealed by Wikileaks, Billström, together with Carl Bildt during the two men's visit to the American Ambassador Ryan Crocker in Baghdad in 2007, reported the Iraqi refugee situation in Sweden, specifically mentioning honour killings and the Swedish opinion of restricting immigration. Controversial statements In an interview about illegal immigrants hidden in Sweden on 18 March 2013, Billström said that "Sometimes we have the impression that the person who is hidden lives with a nice blonde Swedish lady in her fifties or sixties who wants to help. But that's not true. The vast majority [of hidden illegal immigrants] live with their compatriots who are not blond and blue-eyed." The statement was severely criticised by both opposition parties as well as the other governing parties in the Alliance coalition government. The leader of the Moderate Youth League, youth league of the Moderate Party, Erik Bengtzboe also criticised the statement, and called for Billström to apologise and to think about what