Dutch Deportation Policy Stalled: Growing Number of Asylum Seekers Cannot Be Detained

The Dutch government's deportation policy is encountering significant hurdles due to a recent ruling by the European Court of Justice. NRC Handelsblad reports that a growing number of asylum seekers, having exhausted their appeals, cannot be deported because they have reached the maximum allowed detention period of 18 months. This ruling aggregates all previous detention periods, preventing further detention even if new deportation grounds arise.

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Een groeiende groep uitgeprocedeerde asielzoekers kan niet worden uitgezet, omdat zij niet meer mogen worden opgesloten.

This situation has forced the release of dozens of asylum seekers, some receiving substantial financial compensation. The timing is particularly sensitive as the Dutch Senate is set to vote on criminalizing illegal stay, a measure intended by Minister Bart van den Brink to compel these individuals to leave. However, the new detention rules undermine this strategy, as detention is a key tool for enforcing deportation.

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de hoogste Europese rechter bepaalde in maart dat álle tijd die een vreemdeling vastzit in een uitzetcentrum, ook als dat jaren geleden was, bij elkaar opgeteld nooit langer dan achttien maanden mag bedragen.

The implications are far-reaching, affecting not only the practicalities of deportation but also the political debate surrounding immigration. The inability to detain individuals nearing their limit complicates the government's ability to manage the return process and raises questions about the effectiveness of current asylum and immigration laws in the Netherlands. The article highlights the tension between EU legal standards and national enforcement capabilities.

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Voor wie langer dan achttien maanden in vreemdelingendetentie heeft gezeten, is uitzetting nu „niet meer mogelijk” als gevolg van de uitspraak, aldus de woordvoerder.