Belgium will allow entry into migrants' homes to deport them
The Chamber of Representatives gave final approval to the law, which requires a judge's prior sign-off and applies to those who refuse to leave.
Belgium now has a law allowing authorities to enter an undocumented foreigner's home to carry out a deportation. The Chamber of Representatives gave it final approval in an overnight session, and Anneleen Van Bossuyt, the minister for asylum and migration, pushed it through.
It comes with three conditions. The foreigner must be in the country irregularly, must have refused to leave and must be considered a threat to public order or national security. Immigration Office officials, with police support, can then enter the home and detain the person administratively. Each entry requires prior authorization from an investigating judge.
Van Bossuyt defended the law on security grounds. "This is not a witch hunt against undocumented migrants," she said. "This is about the safety of our residents."
The same package included two other bills from the minister. One overhauls the European Blue Card, the work permit for highly skilled foreigners, with a 90-day cap on processing and rules against labor fraud. The other allows asylum interviews by video with people held in closed centers.
The law drew criticism. Federal police, investigating judges and lawyers say the phrase "threat to public order" is poorly defined and that children's rights are weakly protected. In the Interior committee on Oct. 8, the governing parties and the liberal Anders party backed the text. The left opposed it, and the far-right Vlaams Belang abstained.
The text carves out an exception to the inviolability of the home. For Van Bossuyt, the debate comes down to one line: "If someone poses a danger to our society, our authorities must be able to act."
