Netherlands Moves to Make Illegal Residency a Crime

The Dutch parliament is poised to criminalize illegal residency after a critical compromise was reached to shield humanitarian aid from prosecution.

Why it matters: This marks a significant victory for parties demanding stricter asylum laws and aims to create a new legal tool to expedite deportations.

State of play: A previous attempt by the far-right PVV failed because moderate parties feared it would punish those providing food or shelter to undocumented migrants.

The new proposal, an amendment known as a "novelle," explicitly states that only the person residing illegally can be prosecuted, not those assisting them.

This change secured the support of crucial centrist parties like the CDA, creating a majority for the bill in the lower house.

The other side: Opposition parties and key government agencies have slammed the proposal as rushed and unworkable.

• Critics like GroenLinks-PvdA argue the bill "rattles on all sides" and was pushed through without proper preparation.
• Key institutions, including the police, judiciary, and immigration service (IND), warn of severe implementation problems and increased workloads.
• The deportation agency itself fears the law will spark legal challenges that tie up resources, ultimately hindering actual deportations.

What's next: The bill must now be approved by the Eerste Kamer, the Dutch upper house, before it can become law.