Belgian court overturns government decision to deny shelter to single men seeking asylum

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium’s top administrative court on Wednesday overturned a government decision to refuse to provide shelter for single men seeking asylum, saying that the move contravenes the country’s migration laws.

Last month, Belgian Asylum State Secretary Nicole de Moor said that a shortage of asylum housing was expected in coming months, and she wanted “absolutely to avoid children ending up in the streets this winter.” Instead, she said, single men would have to fend for themselves.

Human rights organizations and aid groups condemned the move as reneging on international commitments, and eight associations appealed to the Council of State tribunal to have the decision reversed.

The court ruled that the government’s decision does not respect the rights that all asylum seekers should enjoy while their application for international protection is being examined.

Belgium has long come under criticism for failing to provide enough shelter to the thousands of people who say they are seeking protection from persecution in their home countries. In recent years, long lines of tents have regularly formed along streets outside the main processing center in Brussels.

De Moor complained that the influx of asylum-seekers over the past two years in the nation of 11.5 million had filled shelters almost to their capacity of 33,500. Last year, Belgium had nearly 37,000 applications for protection, the federal agency Fedasil said.

On top of the asylum-seekers, Belgium is helping some 62,000 Ukrainian refugees who fled Russia’s war on their country.