As long as the centres are saturated, it’s OK, the maximum turnover is being assured and the detention statistics climb ! Detention often lasts several months and is accompanied by blackmail, physical and / or psychological pressure. This in order to keep pressure on the detainee so that he / she disappears during a deportation or a forced” voluntary return “, evasion (less appreciated by Maggie) or release with OQTB. The aim is to break the prisoner as quickly as possible in order to make her/his space available for the next one. Despite this, detentions that last for 4 months are quite common.
Vis-à- vis the public, detention is used to demonstrate that the hunt for migrants continues steadily, that “illegals” are systematically tracked down,imprisoned, deported. It also works as a deterrent against future migrants “not just in Belgium, goal awaits you and you will be roughly treated. Go and seek asylum in a more hospitable country. “
