State Secretary Eric van der Burg (Asylum Affairs) needs three to four locations within a month that can be used as ‘overflow’ for the overburdened Ter Apel. In addition, there must be a ‘flow location’ in every province where 500 to 1500 recognized refugees from the asylum seekers’ center (azc) can stay, pending permanent accommodation.
In a letter, Van der Burg urgently appeals to all mayors and commissioners of the King to quickly offer both types of locations.
The overflow places must be realized in the north, center and/or south of the country and each have a capacity of about 500 asylum seekers, the State Secretary writes. These locations must be used as waiting rooms and so-called front portal locations for the application center in Ter Apel.
In that application center, asylum seekers are identified after arrival and registered by the police and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND). “At the moment there is insufficient processing capacity in the asylum chain to keep up with the influx of asylum seekers. Not everyone can be identified immediately upon arrival,” writes Van der Burg.
Promise
The State Secretary has promised the municipality of Westerwolde (to which Ter Apel belongs) that no more than 2000 asylum seekers will stay in Ter Apel. In order to keep that promise and to prevent asylum seekers from having to sleep in the grass again, as was the case last year, new locations are needed in the short term where people can be identified. The Expo Assen will be used as a front portal from 1 July, but this is not enough.
Multiple locations may be used for the 500 to 1500 status holders that each province has to accommodate in transfer locations. Status holders are allowed to stay in the Netherlands and are entitled to housing. Due to the housing shortage, they are forced to stay in an azc. As a result, they become overcrowded.
“The realization of the above locations can prevent a new reception shortage,” writes Van der Burg. The minister will also discuss the call on Tuesday evening in the Security Council of the 25 mayors who chair a security region.