Border Controls Under Fire as Minister Faber Defends Early Results
Minister Faber of Asylum and Migration maintains that it’s too early to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the recently implemented border controls, despite criticism from organizations involved in their execution. The Dutch Police Union (NPB), the Dutch Royal Marechaussee Association, and the European trade union confederation for police, border police, and military police (Eu.Pol) are among those who argue that the controls are ineffective due to a shortage of staff.
Faber introduced the controls to deter illegal migration. However, the criticism suggests that the current personnel shortage limits their effectiveness. Furthermore, these controls are deemed less efficient than routine checks, potentially negatively impacting surveillance efforts that are otherwise successful.
In a Tweede Kamer debate, Faber stood her ground, expressing reservations about sharing initial border control figures with the chamber in January, as suggested. She prefers to have more time for evaluation, stating that the current period is too brief.
Koen Simmers, a police project leader, echoed these concerns during an interview with the NOS Radio 1 Journaal, emphasizing that the so-called "heavier controls" can only yield results with significantly more personnel and resources than currently available.
Faber addressed the potential impact of these controls on the marechaussee’s other duties, acknowledging that some organizations hold this view but asserting that these organizations do not represent the marechaussee as a whole.
During the debate, JA21 Kamerlid Eerdmans criticized Faber’s responses, "Finding her answers not entirely convincing," and claimed that Faber had initially boasted about the controls following the initial days of operations in which "fifty to a hundred" people were deterred.
While Minister Faber defends the early results of the border controls, the concerns raised by involved organizations and opposition parties underscore the need for careful evaluation and potential adjustments to ensure their effectiveness.
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