Title: Dutch Government Criticized for Eroding Public Support for Asylum Seekers
In a recent statement, Amsterdam Alderman Marjolein Moorman criticized the Dutch government for deliberately undermining public support for asylum seekers. Moorman expressed her concerns following the national budget announcement and King’s Budget Day speech, which were not well received in Amsterdam. She told AT5, a local broadcaster, that the government’s policies seem to be deliberately eroding the support base for sheltering asylum seekers.
The King’s speech on Tuesday prioritized a grip on migration, particularly asylum migration, aiming to severely restrict the number of people seeking safety in the Netherlands. The government has already announced that it will stop funding the bed-bath-and-bread shelters in five major cities for asylum seekers who have exhausted all legal remedies. Prime Minister Dick Schoof told AT5 last week that failed asylum seekers have the responsibility to leave themselves.
Moorman explained that there is a significant group of rejected asylum seekers who are stateless, have lost their documents, or cannot return to their country of origin because it refuses to take them back. These people are left without support, living on the streets and causing public disturbances. She believes that by denying people basic facilities, the government is pushing them to wander the streets and potentially squat out of necessity, which further erodes public support for asylum seekers.
Moorman pointed out the overcrowded conditions at the Ter Apel asylum registration center, which has been facing structural issues for about two years. Asylum seekers have narrowly avoided sleeping outside for the past two nights, with municipalities providing last-minute accommodations. The government also plans to scrap the asylum distribution law, which is intended to relieve pressure on Ter Apel by forcing unwilling municipalities to take in a fair share of people.
The Amsterdam alderman feels that the government and Asylum Minister Marjolein Faber are deliberately chipping away at public support for asylum seekers. Moorman concluded that the current policy is either stupid or cynical, considering the ongoing reception crisis.
Follow the latest stories on our website: [Latest stories link]
Views: 0