Belgium dials back welcome protocol for asylum seekers

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The Belgian government on Wednesday said single men seeking asylum will no longer be allowed in shelters. The government’s move is meant to free up space for families, children, and women ahead of the cold winter months. The country does not have the capacity to house the tens of thousands of people seeking asylum, said Asylum State Secretary Nicole de Moor. Several human rights organizations have condemned Belgium’s decision.

Are other countries changing their asylum protocol? German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet on Wednesday classified Moldova and Georgia as “safe countries of origin.” If approved by parliament, the law change would allow officials to reject and deport asylum seekers from those countries more quickly. Germany is struggling to process an influx of asylum applications from all over the world while accepting refugees from Ukraine.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in Compassion about how New York City is struggling to meet the influx of migrants.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.