Nicole de Moor, the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration, announced the decision to prioritize families with children due to the increasing influx of such vulnerable groups. The decision, announced by Nicole de Moor, the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration,
to prioritize families and children due to the increasing influx of such vulnerable groups.aimsNicole de Moor explained the decision, stating,
“I do not want to lag behind the facts, and I am therefore making the decision now to reserve all available places for families with children. The large number of asylum seekers that have come to our country over the last two years has continued to put pressure on the reception system. The difficulty of creating shelters has been evident in the last year. We are continuing to open new centers. “I absolutely don’t want children to end up on the streets.”
De Moor highlighted the strain placed on the reception system by the dramatic increase in asylum requests in recent years. Dunja Mijatovic – the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights – wrote to the Belgian State Secretary of Asylum and Migration to highlight the fact that, in October 2022, over 1,500 asylum seekers slept on the street, including unaccompanied minors and families with children. The limited capacity of the Belgian authorities to process and register asylum requests in a timely fashion further increased the difficulty faced by those seeking international protection. De Moor
also stated that the Belgian Government is actively involved in reforming migration policy both at the national and EU level. She said that the reforms were aimed at achieving long-term gains by improving control over migration, and promoting an equitable distribution of asylum seekers in the EU. Alain Maron is the Minister of Government for the Brussels Capital Region. He
that the move would increase homelessness in Brussels. He called on the federal government fulfill its international and national responsibilities. Bernard Clerfayt of the DeFI party expressed his disapproval by clarified stating the federal level was rejecting their obligation to accept all asylum seekers. According to the 1951 Geneva Convention, a refugee is someone who has a well-founded concern for persecution. Belgium signed this Convention to provide protection to refugees, and to grant them a residency permit for an indefinite period of time once they are recognized.