Filming BBC reporter Mike Donkin reports on the rigid Dutch immigration policy, and especially on the situation of the numerous asylum seekers that are waiting for a residence permit for a long time and that still can be thrown out of the Netherlands any moment.
In the campaigns of the Dutch political parties for the upcoming national elections most of the opposition parties plea for a general pardon. At the same time the children’s rights organisation Defence for Children International decided to trial the Dutch state to claim the right to stay for 2300 asylum seekers children without papers.
In a village in the northern province of Friesland a large emergency centre for stranded asylum seekers is run by volunteers. On school refugee girl Angela from Armenia explains on school that she feels totally Dutch, but fears to be expelled. Her parents are killed and she is living in the unofficial refugee centre with her grandparents.
A family from Azerbaijan is living in a caravan in a garden behind a farm. They feel totally accepted by the local population, but are astonished about the fact the that authorities still do not want to accept them by giving residents permits. The volunteer that helps the family is ashamed of the Dutch government, and opposes the severe inhuman immigration policy emotionally.
Featurez proposed this topic, did the research, the set-up, planning, booked a rental car and did the driving, accompanied the filming, did some of the interviews and did translations.