Belgium has approved a controversial legislation allowing police to enter private homes to detain certain undocumented migrants facing deportation.
Critics see similarities with Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the US, while the government says the measure is necessary to enforce migration rules.
Belgium has sparked a heated debate over immigration enforcement after its federal parliament approved legislation allowing police to enter private homes to detain certain undocumented migrants.
The law has drawn comparisons with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, better known as ICE. But is Belgium really creating its own version, and why is the legislation so controversial?
What is the Belgian ‘ICE’?
Belgium is not establishing a new immigration police force equivalent to ICE. However, the controversy concerns expanded powers for existing police and immigration authorities.
Under the legislation, police can enter private residences to apprehend certain people who have received an enforceable order to leave Belgium. Entry requires prior authorisation from an investigating judge and applies to individuals who have failed to cooperate with deportation and are considered a threat to public order or national security.
The government argues that the measure will make deportation decisions more effective and prevent individuals from avoiding authorities.
Why has Belgium introduced the law?
The initiative forms part of the Belgian government’s broader effort to tighten immigration policy and increase deportations.
Championed by Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt and Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden, the legislation aims to address the gap between deportation orders and the number of people who actually leave the country.
The proposal is not entirely new. A similar initiative was introduced in 2017 under former migration secretary Theo Francken but was abandoned following strong opposition. It was frozen up until recently with the current government reviving the controversial legislation.
Why are campaigners opposed?
The legislation has triggered protests from human rights organisations, lawyers and migrant-support groups.
The No ICE in Belgium collective argues that allowing police to enter private homes for immigration enforcement risks undermining fundamental rights, particularly privacy and the inviolability of the home.
On 4 November, around 3,000 people formed a human chain around Brussels’ Palace of Justice. Demonstrations also took place in other Belgian municipalities.
The government rejects comparisons with US ICE operations, pointing to judicial authorisation and legal safeguards.
Is this part of a wider European trend?
Belgium’s decision comes amid a broader European shift towards stricter migration enforcement.
The European Commission has pushed for stronger cooperation between member states, improved return procedures and greater coordination through Frontex, the EU’s border and coast guard agency.
The European Parliament has also been involved in negotiations over a common European returns framework, aimed at making the removal of people without legal residency more consistent across the bloc.
Belgium’s legislation therefore reflects a wider political debate: how far governments can go to enforce immigration rules without compromising fundamental rights.
(Sources: The Guardian, The Brussels Times, European Correspondent, Amnesty International)
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