Leuven opposes federal home entry policy for undocumented residents, dividing local government

The city council of Leuven has officially opposed a federal government policy that permits police and government services to enter private residences to locate individuals residing in Belgium without legal status. The council passed a motion against these "woonstbetredingen" (home entries), signaling a local resistance to the national approach.

The vote revealed a split within Leuven's governing coalition. While Groen and Vooruit, both partners in the administration, supported the motion, the Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V) party voted against it. This marks the first time a coalition partner in Leuven has voted differently from the rest of the governing body on such an issue.

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The law is particularly vaguely formulated and that makes it dangerous. Thus, a home entry can take place when someone does not cooperate with an expulsion procedure and poses a danger to public order or safety. What that means is not clearly stated. It opens the door to arbitrary home entries.

The motion was initiated by a citizen's group that gathered nearly 2,000 signatures. Supporters of the motion, including council member Jan-Thomas Roefs of Vooruit, expressed concerns that the law is vaguely formulated, potentially opening the door to arbitrary home entries. Roefs argued that the lack of clear definitions for terms like "danger to public order or safety" is problematic.

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We are talking about rapists, violent offenders and terrorists, in the context of the return policy. It is up to the investigating judge to rule on that, not us. It is good that there is a law, because it is missing.

Conversely, opposition parties N-VA and Vlaams Belang did not support the citizen's initiative. N-VA faction leader Zeger Debyser stated that the policy targets individuals like rapists, violent offenders, and terrorists within the context of return policies, and that such decisions should be left to an investigating judge. Britt Huybrechts of Vlaams Belang agreed, suggesting the debate was based on a caricature of the actual proposal.

Karin Brouwers of CD&V sharply criticized the opposing view, asserting that the proposal is clearly formulated and addresses dangerous individuals who should not be in the country, aligning with Vooruit's own party program. Several other municipalities, including Brussels-City, Saint-Gilles, and Verviers, have also voiced opposition to the federal policy.

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The proposal is clearly enough formulated. It concerns dangerous individuals who do not belong here and that is our primary concern. That is also what is in Vooruit's party program.