In January 2019, the four coalition parties of the Netherlands agreed that all child refugee cases that have been appealed should be reviewed under an amnesty measure in order to avoid a cabinet crisis. They also agreed that the amnesty should be temporary and end once these cases have been reassessed.

IND, the immigration service, has stated that it will try to review all the appeals by refugee children facing deportation—numbering around 700—by the end of the year. Officials expect that most of the children and their family members will be allowed to stay, totalling around 1,300 people.

The deportation of children has been criticised by NGOs, municipalities and psychiatrists. Many of the children were born in the Netherlands, and deportation would mean being forced to go to a country where they do not speak the language and possibly never even visited. The government granted a similar, temporary ‘children’s pardon‘ in 2013.

The amnesty can be granted to children who meet the criteria but who have not already applied to be included in the amnesty. The criteria include living in the Netherlands for at least five years. Amnesty can also be granted to children who had lost their appeals and are now living in unknown locations. However, children who were already deported will not be allowed to return.

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