Nine-point plan against transmigration

“We want to make it clear that it is not worth coming to Belgium in the hope of getting in to the United Kingdom.” Minister of the Interior Jan Jambon and Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Theo Francken have drawn up a nine-point plan together in the fight against illegal transmigration. The nine-point plan is targeted at the entire route that transmigrants follow.

1. A national administrative centre will be set up in Steenokkerzeel. Every transmigrant who is caught on the way to the UK will be transferred to the closed centre in Steenokkerzeel. “They will be systematically identified, with their fingerprints being taken and the contents of their mobile phones being read. Of course, we will also investigate whether those people maybe wish to request asylum in Belgium,” says Minister Jambon. The transmigrants can be kept at the centres until the Immigration Service has taken a decision regarding their file. “This will take substantial pressure off the local police zones,” says Jan Jambon.
2. Capacity in the closed centres to double. In the closed centres, reception capacity will increase from 70 places to 160 places. There, the transmigrants will stay until their repatriation to their country of origin or the country from which they entered Europe.
3. The police checks on the motorways will become more intensive. To combat human trafficking and nuisance, the local police services will carry out more checks along the travelling routes of the transmigrants. The coordination of those checks will be entrusted to the provincial governors.
4. Maximilian Park in Brussels will be cleared. Minister Jambon has had a conversation with the mayor of Brussels Philippe Close today on the subject. “My working relationship with Mr Close has always been constructive. I assume that anyone responsible for a city like Brussels has a focus on solutions,” says Jan Jambon. The transmigrants in Maximilian Park will be accommodated in Haren.
5. The fight against human trafficking is being ramped up. Minister Jambon is counting on the contents of the mobile phones of caught transmigrants being read to this end. “The intent is to map out the networks of human traffickers via the contacts in those mobile phones,” Jan Jambon explains.
6. The port of Zeebrugge is to receive better security. Minister Jambon and Secretary of State Francken paid a visit to the port on Wednesday in this regard. A command post will be created and the federal police will be strengthened by 12 additional officers. “We want to reduce the chance of getting to the United Kingdom from Zeebrugge to zero,” says Jan Jambon.
7. Belgium to work more closely with the United Kingdom. Jan Jambon and Theo Francken had a meeting with the British Home Secretary Sajid Javid. The British will help with securing the port of Zeebrugge and with patrols on the parking areas along the motorway. The costs for that cooperation will be shared.
8. The parking areas along the motorway will receive better security. Flemish Minister of Mobility Ben Weyts is increasing security with fences and cameras. The private security will also remain in place, as will the intensive checks by the local police.
9. Discouragement campaigns will be set up in the countries of origin. On social media, the risks of illegal migration will be explained clearly to potential migrants.