Responding to the Global Detention Project’s Covid-19 survey, Luxembourg’s European Migration Network (EMN) contact point, the University of Luxembourg, reported that a moratorium on new immigration detention orders had been established, mainly as returns were no longer possible. EMN Luxembourg said that there had not been any cases of Covid-19 within the Findel Detention Centre (“Centre de Rétention”).
The Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Jean Asselborn, responding to a parliamentary question on 15 May, said that since 18 March 9 detainees had been released from the Findel detention centre as their return was impossible to undertake. By 16 March, 19 detainees had already been released for the same reason, in addition to the determination that social distancing was virtually impossible (see 17 June Luxembourg update on this platform). The Minister also stated that on 29 May the Findel detention centre was holding 25 male detainees and that from the start of the Covid-19 crisis, the centre only held men. The last woman detained at Findel was transferred to the Netherlands on 27 February, while the last family with children left the centre on 3 March.
The minister said that those that had been released were offered accommodation at the Kirchberg Emergency Accommodation Structure (SHUK). The psychosocial staff in the centre takes care of directing released detainees to adequate accommodation structures provided that these persons indicate that they are unable to find their own accommodation. The minister also reported that there were no regularisation plans for the persons detained in the Findel detention centre.
In addition, a bill has been presented at the House of Representatives, seeking to introduce temporary measures to the application of Law of 29 August 2008 on the free movement of persons and immigration on 19 May 2020. The bill (“Projet de loi 7585”) aims to extend certain measures provided for in Articles 13 and 14 of the amended Grand-Ducal Regulation of 18 March 2020, introducing a series of measures in the context of the Covid-19 crisis. It is accompanied by a grand-ducal regulation relating to the duration of the prohibition and the scope of exceptions provided for in Article 2 of the bill. This legislation allows all those concerned that are currently in Luxembourg to leave the territory or to regularise their stay. Beyond these deadlines, the minister will analyse the individual situation of each person.
- European Migration Network, University of Luxembourg, Global Detention Project’s Covid-19 survey, 19 July 2020.
- Luxembourg Government, “Réponse de Monsieur le Ministre de l’immigration et de l’Asile, Jean Asselborn, à la question parlementaire n°2229 du 15 Mai 2020 des honorables Députés David Wagner et Marc Baum,” 15 May 2020.
- Global Detention Project, Immigration Detention in Luxembourg, April 2018, https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/countries/europe/luxembourg
- Findel Immigration Detention Centre (Centre de Rétention de Findel), (Le Quotidien, “La Police a Dû Intervenir pour des Violences au Centre de Rétention,” 22 October 2018, https://lequotidien.lu/police-justice/la-police-a-du-intervenir-pour-des-violences-au-centre-de-retention/)
