As the influx of migrants in Belgium increased, its citizens came forward and have been providing shelter to refugees in the harsh European winter. Belgian law allows its citizen to take in refugees. But that may be about to change.

Legislators in Brussels are now debating measures that would allow police to search private homes of families suspected of sheltering illegal migrants. The proposal was floated by Theo Francken, a Flemish nationalist and Secretary of State for Asylum Policy and Migration. The Federal Government argues that the proposed amendment is necessary in order to enforce existing laws.

Protests against government’s tougher policies

Over 10,000 people took to the streets of Brussels this weekend, to protest the Belgian government’s refugee policy. Smaller-scale protests have been happening since the beginning of the year. The participants called on the authorities to adopt a more ‘humane’ approach in its migration policy. Symbolically, the rally was held at Brussels’ Maximilien Park in close proximity to the Immigration Department’s office, where refugees have been living in camps since 2015. It was organized by the activist group 'Citizen’s Platform for Refugee Support' and dubbed 'Human Wave for Solidarity and Humanity.'

British and Belgian police conduct joint operations

Meanwhile, as the bill is being debated in Parliament, the government has already introduced stricter measures and policing to limit the influx of refugees as well as to halt their progress into the UK. Raids against human traffickers have increased. According to the UK embassy in Belgium, about 250 Belgian and British police officers conducted over two dozen raids from January to mid-February in both countries to rescue victims of trafficking. The joint operations were aimed at criminal groups suspected of smuggling migrants into the United Kingdom.

Khalid Hameed Farooqui, a journalist from Brussels, told InfoMigrants that on February 27, an agreement was reached between the British and Belgian governments to patrol the highways leading to Dover and Calais.” He says the move is aimed at tightening the grip on illegal migration within Europe. 

Political divide

Farooqui explained that the Interior Ministry and the ministry overseeing asylum procedures in Belgium are headed by members of a party which opposed liberal asylum policies in its election campaign. “The New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) argues that Belgium is overpopulated and doesn’t have to resources to deal with a huge influx of refugees,” Farooqui says. He told InfoMigrants that the party has a ‘regionalist and separatist’ agenda and has floated anti-migrant sentiments in Flemish regions and that Theo Francken has been accused of pursuing ‘Nazi’ policies.

The Brussels-based analyst also told InfoMigrants that increased unemployment, crime rates and less social cohesion are attributed to migrants across Europe and Theo Francken has simply taken advantage of the existing rhetoric. 

Hotspot for migrants in transit

Amir Naeem, a member of the socialist party in Belgium, told InfoMigrants that the refugees arriving in Belgium are only using the country as a transit point to head to the UK. “They are not applying for asylum here as the moment they file an application, they are caught and put in detention centers, as per the Dublin Regulation,” said Naeem. He added that they are sent to the country they entered Europe from before being deported to Libya where they are traded as slaves, among many other atrocities.

According to Amir, this is where the people of Belgium stepped up to help the migrants during the winter season. Ordinary Belgians started giving migrants temporary refuge. “To counter this, the government is pursuing a proposal that would allow police to raid homes of people suspected of lodging an irregular migrant,” said Naeem.

Belgium: major transit country for rejected asylum seekers

In 2017, more than 100,400 people applied for asylum in France, according to the Asylum Information Database. Of those, only around 13,000 were granted refugee status. Over 73 percent, or 65,302 asylum applications, were rejected. So, what actually happened to those people?

In recent years, Belgium has become an important transit country for rejected asylum seekers from the Netherlands, Germany and France. Asylum seekers rejected in other European states, as well as new migrants who have just entered Europe, often gather in Belgium with the aim of ultimately reaching the UK.

The development is noticeable in public places across Belgium, particularly in the capital Brussels. Refugees can be seen strolling around the international bus station at Gare du Nord. Most of these asylum seekers hail from Sudan, a country which was not among the top 10 countries of origin for those applying for asylum in Belgium last year. Being a former colony, Sudan has considerable British influence and Britain too has a sizable Sudanese population.

Latest phase in the migration crisis

Critics claim that recent developments in Belgium reflect the latest phase in the migration crisis which has been responsible for the disruption of politics in one European country after another. It’s Belgium’s turn this time. The center-right government is confronted with the problem of avoiding large scale migrant camps in the capital while it must also fulfill its legal and humanitarian obligations. As well, the country will hold general elections next year.