"This bill does not seek to drive out the people without papers… We grant refugee status to 15,000 people every year and a great number of humanitarian visas, for three years now. But there is a policy of return for those who were rejected. The bill in question is a missing link that would allow to effectively send back to their countries those who were not granted these demands and who do not correspond to the relevant criteria," Chastel told RTL broadcaster.
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The head of the party stressed that the law would not apply to the individuals hosting the migrants, adding that the authors of the legislation were open to suggestions and criticism.
Christine Defraigne, the head of the Senate, said Monday on Twitter that the constitution guaranteed the inviolability of homes, adding that the MR group in the province of Liege wanted to check the draft law to see if it complied with the constitution.
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The government's new project follows an earlier initiative to tackle illegal migration — a partnership with Sudan on sending back migrants originating from the African country. However, the project backfired when some of the deported Sudanese alleged they were tortured upon return to their home country.