Asylum Min. wants to monitor troublemakers amid tensions over critical Council of State
Asylum Minister Marjolein Faber has announced plans for an experiment to keep a close eye on 40 disruptive asylum seekers who have little chance of obtaining refugee status. They’ll be required to check in with the authorities regularly, and if they don’t, they’ll be moved to a location with fewer amenities and stricter supervision. The PVV Minister announced these controversial measures as tensions are mounting in the Cabinet about a Council of State report on her plans for a two-status asylum system and other emergency asylum measures. Sources say the report will be critical.
In a letter to parliament, Faber said that the new experiment with disruptive asylum seekers will be more voluntary than a previous experiment at Ter Apel, ANP reported. Faber’s predecessor placed asylum seekers under increased supervision at a location in the Ter Apel shelter, but the court ordered the location closed in March last year, ruling that the Dutch government was restricting an asylum seeker too much in his freedom.
In Faber’s plans, 40 asylum seekers from countries the Netherlands considers safe will be required to report twice a day. The idea is that this will make them available for paperwork and their asylum application can be processed more quickly. If they do not cooperate, they will be placed in a “low stimulus environment” where they will be under “increased supervision.” They won’t be able to access the rest of the Ter Apel asylum registration center, but can still go outside onto the street. They’ll also be offered the opportunity to participate in an intensive program aimed at changing their behavior. The asylum seeker will be strongly advised to participate in this voluntary program, a spokesperson for Faber told ANP.
The Council of State is expected to publish its advice on Faber’s Two-Status System Act and Asylum Emergency Members Act. The two-status system divides asylum seekers into people who are persecuted for their political views, religion, or sexual orientation, and people fleeing from war and violence, with the latter group receiving fewer rights. The Asylum Emergency Measures Act stipulates, among other things, that permanent residence permits will be abolished and that residence permits will have a shorter term.
Various media have reported that the Council of State’s advice will be critical, though they vary on the degree of criticism. The Telegraaf and AD reported that the Council called Faber’s bills difficult to implement. RTL Nieuws reported that the Council is critical of the bills, but doesn’t reject them outright.
An opinion from the Council of State can range from A to D, which indicates the extent to which the bills are legally tenable and implementable. Some insiders told NOS that both laws received a C from the Council, which means that the bills could be submitted after some adjustments. Other insiders said they both got a D, which makes things more complicated.
In the meantime, tensions are again rising in the coalition on the asylum policy. The coalition parties all agree that they want to cut back on asylum reception and reduce the number of asylum seekers seeking safety in the Netherlands. But the PVV and NSC, in particular, often clash on how to achieve this. The PVV wants a stricter asylum policy as soon as possible, the NSC says it wants good governance and careful laws, also when it comes to asylum legislation.
Wilders said on X that, as far as he is concerned, the laws will be implemented regardless of the Council of State's advice. Just before the Christmas recess, Wilders also said that he had lost patience and had swallowed enough. The PVV would not tolerate any further changes to the asylum policy, he said.
