It appears that the cabinet wants to leave the decision on this restriction to the highest court, says Van Leeuwen. “Meanwhile, the Cabinet can continue with that hard-won asylum deal. The Cabinet is buying time with this.’
With this restriction, permit holders must first find a home before the rest of the family can come. “This is something the VVD, the Secretary of State’s party, really wants,” says Van Leeuwen. But according to the Haarlem judge this is contrary to European law and directives. Now Van der Burg says it should be done like this for now. They will change it only if they lose the proceedings on the merits.
The toilet needs time, says Van Leeuwen. “There are still no homes available for these people. In the summer they had to sleep on the street in Ter Apel, which is why the cabinet says there is no place for these people now. The asylum deal will simply be implemented for the time being, until they are called back.’
Expected dozens of cases
The Dutch Refugee Council has announced that dozens of lawsuits are coming from status holders who want to move their families to the Netherlands. “Some of the cases will likely be notified in the short term, although the exact dates are still unknown,” a refugee council spokesman said. The judge on Monday ruled that the family of a Syrian refugee must be admitted to the Netherlands, because the current travel restriction has no legal basis.
“You can wait for the Supreme Court, but in the meantime hundreds of people are suffering,” says the Refugee Council. He therefore calls Van der Burg’s reaction “remarkable”.
Waiting for family reunification
In August, the cabinet decided to delay family reunification, with the idea of limiting the influx of asylum seekers. The temporary measure means family members must first wait six months before they can join a status holder. Since family members come to the Netherlands later, this saves places in the overcrowded reception of the kindergarten, is the idea.