Record number undocumented migrants found by Dutch authorities

By Janene Pieters on Tuesday, 8 November 2016 - 12:50
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Klaas Dijkhoff during a work visit to the Koninklijke Marechaussee's Mobile Surveillance Security on Nov 9th 2015 (Photo: Rijksoverheid)Klaas Dijkhoff during a work visit to the Koninklijke Marechaussee's Mobile Surveillance Security on Nov 9th 2015 (Photo: Rijksoverheid)

During the first half of this year the Koninklijke Marechaussee discovered a record number of undocumented migrants in the Netherlands. In total 1,120 undocumented migrants were found, 700 moe than in the same period last year, according to a report State Secretary Klaas Dijkhoff of Security and Justice released on Tuesday, ANP reports.

The Koninklijke Marechaussee is a policing force that works as a part of the Dutch military and is responsible for border security. During the first half of this year, the Marechaussee performed 60 percent more checks than in the same period last year. This was mostly random checks at the borders with Germany and Belgium. 

If an undocumented migrant is found, he or she must leave the Netherlands. A re-entry ban may also be imposed. During the first half of this year, 870 undocumented migrants were deported from the Netherlands, compared to 180 in the first half of 2015. 

There were also more migrants that applied for family reunification - 14,00 in the first half of this year, compared to 8,500 applications in the same period last year. According to the report, this increase is related to the influx in asylum seekers. 

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