Covid test refusal often prevents deportation of failed asylum seekers

This year, refusing a coronavirus test was the main reason asylum seekers who had exhausted all legal remedies did not get deported. They do not have to cooperate with a test, while the destination country usually requires a negative test result or proof of vaccination.

Until October 1 this year, 940 people's flight tickets were canceled because they refused to get tested for the coronavirus. The Ministry of Justice and Security confirmed this after reporting from De Telegraaf on Thursday. A year earlier, there were only 20 cases.

The Ministry said that it is looking for "action perspectives." The department was already aware of the problem at the end of February. According to the Telegraaf, various parties in parliament already asked questions about the issue at the time.

Over 11,800 of the more than 22,000 deportation flights were canceled in the past 3.5 years. The leading causes were that people evaded supervision (5,560 cases) and (new) legal proceedings (1,290 cases). This year, 60 percent of flights were canceled.