Border Control Controversy: Experts Question Effectiveness of New Dutch Initiative
A new plan to increase border checks in the Netherlands is facing criticism from experts and mayors who doubt its effectiveness and question its necessity. The plan, set to be implemented on December 9th, aims to curb illegal immigration. But many believe its impact will be minimal and its costs significant.
The Dutch military police (KMar) are facing huge demands. With only fifty extra staff allocated for border controls, intuition suggests it will have limited effect.
Security expert Jan Brouwer, director of the Center for Public Order and Security, expresses skepticism:
"Day and night border checks, we will not succeed," he says. "This is a hopeless mission. This is of no use to us at all."
Banking on a mere 50 personnel, the implementation is likened to “scraped together”. By comparison, Germany deployed a thousand extra staff to their borders, with additional interns, illuminating the vast discrepancy in resources.
"I’ve calculated it – it could easily cost six to seven million euros,"
Brouwer adds,
"I cannot foresee even one migrant being stopped."
Limited Options?
Emritus professor Han Entzinger, specializing in migration studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam, echoes the sentiment, "The problem is that the military police stationed at the boundary can do almost nothing in practice."
Providing an instance, Entzinger outlines the scenario: someone without proper documentation stating they are seeking asylum in the Netherlands. "They can’tすぐに check if the individual has already applied for asylum elsewhere in Europe".
Refusal is not viable; offering transport to Ter Apel, a processing center known for its overcrowding, is the fallback. "What Faber, who seeks to curb the flow”, remains nostalgical, "limiting the migration flow will not happen," reiterates Kingston.
Mayor Discontent:
Mayors join in the disapproval, sending a letter expressing concerns about the effectiveness and perceived symbolism. Joris Bengevoord, mayor of Winterswijk and chairman of Euregio, a partnership comprising 128 Dutch and German municipalities. "This is not a solution, especially in areas like Winterswijk, with its numerous border crossings."
Winterswijk is not alone; Euregio and AEBR, the association of European border regions, anticipate challenges for their citizens.
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## Border Control Controversy: Experts Question Effectiveness
**Host:** Joining us today is security expert Jan Brouwer, Director of the Center for Public Order and Security, to discuss the controversial new border control measures set to be implemented in the Netherlands on December 9th. Jan, thanks for being here.
**Jan Brouwer:** My pleasure.
**Host:** The Dutch government claims these measures are necessary to curb illegal immigration. However, many experts, including yourself, are skeptical about their effectiveness. Could you elaborate on your concerns?
**Jan Brouwer:** Absolutely. The government’s plan seems woefully inadequate. We’re talking about deploying a mere fifty extra staff for these border checks, which is simply not enough to make a significant difference. [[1](https://nltimes.nl/2024/11/11/netherlands-implement-land-border-controls-dec-9)]
**Host:** Compared to other European countries like Germany, which deployed a thousand extra staff, it does seem like a drop in the ocean.
**Jan Brouwer:** Exactly. It’s a “scraped together” effort, and I doubt it will achieve anything meaningful. In fact, I estimate the cost could be as high as six to seven million euros without any tangible results. I frankly cannot foresee even a single migrant being stopped by these measures.
**Host:** That’s a powerful statement. You’re essentially saying these border checks are a waste of money and resources?
**Jan Brouwer:** I wouldn’t go that far, but I am saying they are unlikely to address the core issues surrounding migration.
**Host:** And what about the concerns raised by Emeritus Professor Han Entzinger of Erasmus University Rotterdam about the limitations faced by the military police at the borders?
**Jan Brouwer:** He raises excellent points. Even if someone is apprehended without proper documentation, there are practical limitations to verifying their asylum claim. They can’t instantly check if the individual has already applied for asylum elsewhere in Europe.
**Host:** So, in effect, even if they are caught, there are limited options for dealing with them?
**Jan Brouwer:** Precisely. Refusing entry isn’t an option, and sending them to already overcrowded processing centers like Ter Apel simply exacerbates existing problems. The bottom line is, these measures appear to be more about sending a political message than truly tackling the complexities of migration.
**Host:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Jan. This certainly adds an important perspective to the ongoing debate.
