Netherlands deports more criminal immigrants

While the deportion of failed asylum seekers is still a slow and often difficult process, the Netherlands is very successful in deporting immigrants after they committed a crime, according to figures from the Ministry of Security and Justice, AD reports.

In 2011 the Netherlands deported 72 percent of immigrants that committed a crime - 570 of the 795 persons. This year the government already deported 80 percent of the total - 870 of the 1,120 person.

Since 2011 a total of 4,810 immigrants were deported after they committed a crime. These crimes range from shoplifting and burglary to sex cries and drug trafficing. "It is a very diverse group", a spokesperson for the Ministry said to AD. "There are people who stole something in a supermarket, but there are also immigrants convicted of serious crimes such as sex offenses or murder."

The process of deporting a criminal immigrant is easier because - unlike asylu seekers - they often have their travel documents. State Secretary Klaas Dijkhoff of Security and Justice also tightened the rules around deporting immigrants after a crime earlier this year. Previously an immigrant could only be deported if he was given an unconditional sentece of at least 18 months in jail. Dijkhoff lowered that to 6 months.