Dutch Deterrence and Asylum Seeker Resistance Under the Dublin Regulation: Challenging the Focus on Southern Europe

Asylum seekers in Europe encounter significant challenges from entry into the EU until they are granted residency, with those under the Dublin III Regulation particularly affected by legal and temporal limbo caused by complex inter-state procedures. This article, through fieldwork, narrative interviews, and participant observation, uncovers how Dutch deportation services (DT&V) use asymmetrical interviews as a spatial governance tool to subtly pressure Dublin asylum seekers into leaving, either by absconding or seeking asylum elsewhere, thereby redistributing territorial responsibilities within the EU. Contrary to the perception that such practices are confined to Southern Europe, this study argues that Western European countries like the Netherlands also engage in these strategies, challenging stereotypes of non-compliance. By analysing the territorial dynamics between state-led deterrence and migrant resistance, the findings provide a deeper understanding of EU asylum governance and the ethical challenges they pose, especially in the context of the upcoming New Pact on Migration and Asylum.