The Legal Helpdesk, which provides assistance to migrants in Brussels, reached the milestone of 10,000 cases this month. The landmark is a testament to the initiative's importance but is a bleak reminder of the scale of the reception crisis.
The Helpdesk was founded in 2022 as a "temporary" stopgap to deal with an overflow of asylum applications in Belgium. But almost three years later the voluntary service is a cornerstone of the refugee assistance network in Brussels.
On 8 January, the initiative reached 10,000 cases since its opening. This means that 10,000 people have sought free legal assistance from a voluntary team of lawyers, legal students and people who have applied for asylum themselves.
"The Helpdesk began as a spontaneous plan to provide lawyers on the streets of Brussels," Thomas Willekens, policy officer at the non-profit Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, told The Brussels Times. It has since evolved into a "wonderful collaboration" between the NGO, law firms, legal associations, individual lawyers and more.
"10,000 is a huge number and it says something about how many people we have been able to reach," he continued. "But it is also a sad number because it means that 10,000 people without accommodation needed a lawyer. The reception crisis is now into its fourth year, which is four years too long."
Belgium's reception crisis has resulted in thousands of asylum seekers being left in the cold. Credit: Belga / Laurie Dieffembacq
An end to the crisis?
Positivity about the Helpdesk's efficacy is tempered by the magnitude of the reception crisis. 3,000 single men are currently homeless in Belgium, which is in breach of international law as the State is obliged to provide food and shelter to all international protection applicants.
Jean-Francois Gerard is a lawyer at the Brussels Bar Association and says Belgium has the resources to resolve the crisis. It just lacks the political will.
"It would make much more financial sense to make 3,000 more places available; the crisis would be over," he explained. "But they want to send the message that 'Belgium is full' in the hope that refugees will go somewhere else. This is the game all EU countries are playing right now."
Credit: Belga / Jonas Roosens
Belgium's next government is unlikely to adopt a more humane approach. Lawyers and human rights activists are already concerned about one development in this area: the outgoing State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Nicole De Moor (CD&V) said in December that she wants to end asylum for refugees who had already received protection in Greece, another clear violation of international law.
De Moor has stated that she wants to hold onto her portfolio when the government finally changes hands and Gerard believes her statements are an attempt to "show that she can be even tougher on migration than she used to be."
The proposal was blocked by the Council for Immigration Disputes (RVV) but De Moor's instructions to reception agency Fedasil to take any refugees from Greece off the asylum waiting list have reportedly been obeyed. At least five legal complaints have been filed and are awaiting a decision.
'The energy is the most amazing thing'
The gravity of these questions make for a difficult working environment, but the Helpdesk stands out as a beacon of solidarity amid a sea of despair.
"The volunteers and their energy are the most amazing thing about this project," says Gerard. "We started in crisis mode, but almost three years later, so many young people continue to volunteer. It is very positive to see that younger generations care about asylum seekers and the rule of law."
"We are working in a severe national context, which is why we are really focusing on making a difference at an individual and local level," says Willekens. "We still believe Belgium has the capacity to show warmth and solidarity with migrants and refugees."
