Ter Apel Asylum Center Again Exceeds Court Limit With 2,211 People

Overview

• The reception center in Ter Apel housed 2,211 people overnight, above the court-ordered cap of 2,000.
• The national reception agency COA says proper care is getting harder at this size and calls the site extremely busy.
• Emergency shelters opened in cities including Breda, Dronten, and Almere briefly reduced the headcount to 1,987 late last week.
• Repeated breaches of the cap have triggered €6.5 million in penalty payments to the municipality of Westerwolde.
• The newly seated local council will soon decide whether to pursue a third court case to enforce the limit.