Dublin procedure seems to be used indiscriminately by the Office des étrangers to prevent new claims and increase the number of evictions , but more curiously to increase figures of confinements ! During this procedure,e the refugee will be assisted automatically by a lawyer,having as consequence that he sometimes becomes unable to prove that he is not ” dublinisable ” .
A significant number of detainees are ” Dublin ” cases. They are usually arrested at the Immigration Office when applying for asylum. If there is the slightest chance that he/she can be the called Dublin case, he/she will then be transferred directly into a detention centre. There the waiting begins for an answer from the European country which would have been passed before reaching Belgium. Can then be used as evidence the statements of the refugee’s visa, an air ticket, fingerprints kept in that country etc… If that third country agrees to give its ” support”,the refugee is then deported. His application for asylum in Belgium will thus not be recorded: great indeed, this means an application for asylum less and a deportation more, Maggie is thrilled as is herovercautious electorate.
Sometimes the situation turns into an absurd tragicomedy. Recently, a man who had made an application for asylum was called to the Office. He must come and get the documents needed for his voluntary return to France, where he introduced a first asylum request that was agreed to be processed by that country. He went to the Office with his luggag, ready to return to France , thinking to take the train straight after leaving the offices. However the administration has reserved a surprise: he is being arrested and locked in a detention centre.
Another person is for three months in a detention centre. He was arrested when he came to Brussels to request a copy of his OQTB necessary for its application for asylum in France !
Yet another one came to seek asylum : he was arrested and imprisoned under the Dublin procedure. Fortunately, he had the chance to prove that it was not justified and was released after 15 days.
