THE HAGUE, 24/12/03 - The Lower House yesterday broke its Christmas recess for an emergency debate with Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk on asylum policy. The debate was almost immediately soothed out.

The Lower House committee for justice decided yesterday morning to cross swords with Verdonk on the same day due to a letter she sent to the MPs on Monday. In the letter, the minister made it clear she was sticking to her position that local authorities are breaking the law if they do not cooperate in ejecting rejected asylum-seekers from their home or reception center.

Municipalities including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, decided earlier this month to suspend their cooperation with the expulsion of rejected asylum-seekers from humanitarian considerations. A broad Lower House majority including the Christian democratic (CDA) and center-left (D66) government parties wants to allow the local authorities to continue to infringe the law until Verdonk provides more clarification next month of policy on their return and expulsion.

Verdonk soothed the Lower House yesterday afternoon with the promise that for the time being, no families of rejected asylum-seekers will be put on the street. That was the end of it. The minister may not literally be carrying out what was in the motion, but unofficially she is closing her eyes.