That is what VVD MP Ruben Brekelmans said on Friday evening at OP1. According to the liberal, the cabinet should look at ‘drastic measures’ because our asylum system is currently overcrowded. For example, major problems arose in the overcrowded registration center in Ter Apel, where the Red Cross, among others, withdrew because people had no food and drink.
However, VVD member Brekelmans argues that mobile border controls will allow many more asylum seekers who come to our country from neighboring countries to be stopped. They can then be transferred back to our neighboring countries to go through the asylum procedure there, according to the MP.
On Friday, the cabinet rolled out a crisis structure to create extra places for asylum seekers in the coming weeks and months. For example, the cabinet wants to remove status holders – people who have a residence status – from asylum seekers’ centers and receive them in ‘temporary facilities’.
The VVD member states that Germany and France previously held similar checks. “If the influx remains so high, you should also be able to say: the counters will close here for a while, because the asylum system is full.” Brekelmans acknowledged in the broadcast that this is ‘legally difficult’. “But we, as VVD, think that you should look at such drastic measures.”