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Belgian parliament to vote on divisive new law allowing police raids on people’s homes, if they are suspected of harbouring an undocumented migrant
Belgium is pressing ahead with a new bill allowing police to potentially raid a person’s home suspected of harbouring an undocumented migrant.
Set for a vote next Thursday (4 November) in Belgium’s parliament, the law paves the wave for similar provisions in the EU’s deportation regulation.
Although Belgium abstained in the vote on the EU-level law given internal objections over possible EU deportation facilities abroad, Belgium’s coalition government appears determined to allow authorities to force their way into homes.
The new law, championed by Belgium’s rightwing migration minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt of the N-VA, has triggered widespread criticism.
A spectrum form human rights defenders to Belgian judges have issued multiple warnings that the law would potentially violate constitutional rights of those who host undocumented immigrants.
If a person is suspected of hosting an undocumented migrant deemed a security threat, then the police can enter their home between 5AM and 9PM and search through their documents and personal belongings even if children are present.
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