Refugee influx struggling for small town; second reception point considered

The current stream of incoming refugees is so great that Ter Apel, the reporting point for every asylum applicant that enters the Netherlands, is drowning under refugees. The central agency for asylum seekers COA thinks that the asylum seekers should be better distributed over the Netherlands and is considering opening a second reporting point to absorb a portion of the inflow.

A spokesperson for the COA told the Telegraaf that they are "seriously discussing" opening a second reception center for asylum seekers. The Ministry of Security and Justice added that they are talking about this with the municipality of Gilze en Rijen in Brabant. State Secretary Klaas Dijkhoff initially wanted to add another reception center that is a smaller version of the one in Ter Apel. The COA is now investigating whether a "second Ter Apel", that handles all the procedures, will not be better.

Whether or not Gilze en Rijen will agree to this remains to be seen. According to the Telegraaf, a new reception center is needed in the south of the country, as all asylum seekers arriving in that part of the country currently have to travel all the way to Groningen to start the asylum procedure.