DAR AL HARB - NETHERLANDS: AMNESTY IN THE NETHERLANDS

Shelter for Illegal Immigrants Also after General Amnesty

The government on Friday signed a definitive accord with the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) under which an amnesty will be given to thousands of illegal immigrants. One of the conditions is that municipalities must no longer provide relief for illegal immigrants who do not come under the scheme, but this agreement seems as soft as butter.

The government, supported by a Lower House majority, has agreed on an amnesty for all immigrants who have been rejected as asylum-seekers but refused to leave the Netherlands or could not do so because their embassy did not cooperate. The conditions are that they made their first asylum application before 1 April 2001 and have since lived in the Netherlands. They can have a criminal record, as long as they have not been given a jail sentence of more than 30 days.

It was previously agreed with VNG, a strong supporter of the scheme, that the general pardon means that the VNG members (the municipalities) must no longer offer relief to illegal immigrants who do not come under it. However, a press release issued by VNG Friday shows that this condition is only formally accepted by the municipalities.

"Municipalities are prepared to end emergency relief and they will also do so. However, obviously, municipalities do have an obligation to look after the people staying within the municipal boundaries," the statement read. This is "essential for a humane, conscientious and efficient implementation of the aliens policy."

Amsterdam and The Hague are among the municipalities that want to go on offering emergency relief to illegal immigrants. Nonetheless, the letter from VNG was acceptable enough for Justice State Secretary Nebahat Albayrak to sign the accord Friday with VNG chairman Wim Deetman - who is also the mayor of The Hague.

Mayor Job Cohen of Amsterdam has written to his local council that "in general, the municipality cannot offer aid to rejected aliens any more. But if in individual cases there is a question of an exceptional medical or humanitarian emergency, this can be done."

For the implementation of the amnesty, the cabinet is making a one-off sum of 55 million euros available. Earlier, it was suggested that the scheme would cost at least 500 million - conservatives (VVD) MP Henk Kamp even spoke of 2 billion euros. Albayrak has not however included the costs of housing or social security payments, because she expects everyone to find work quickly.

Under the accord with VNG, it has been agreed that the municipalities will try to give the illegal immigrants priority on their waiting lists for subsidised rental accommodation. In Amsterdam, these normally take eight years on average.

By 2010, all illegals must have adequate accommodation. VNG did warn that this target in the accord was "very ambitious." In 2009, the government and VNG will evaluate the implementation of the amnesty accord.


Pertinent Links:

1) Shelter for Illegal Immigrants Also after General Amnesty