Ter Apel asylum centre overcrowding forces nightly shelters in Roden, Netherlands

The registration centre in Ter Apel has been at capacity since late May, leaving dozens of asylum‑seeker applicants without a place to sleep. With no beds available, the municipality of Noordenveld arranged for 150 emergency sleeping spaces in the sports hall De Hullen in Roden, where up to 74 people were accommodated for one night. Applicants who miss the departure bus are taken to the shelter in the evening and returned to Ter Apel the next morning.

Local officials have described the situation as “not human”, citing safety and quality‑of‑life concerns for residents of Ter Apel and nearby villages. The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) continues to face a backlog, with no long‑term solution in place for the overflow of asylum seekers awaiting placement in regular centres.