In a letter to Minister of Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybvad Bek, the entire city council of Ikast-Brande Municipality has expressed serious concern regarding the security situation at the Departure Center Kærshovedgård. The council reports an increasing sense of insecurity among the municipality’s residents, worsened by repeated criminal acts committed by the center’s residents. The problems at Kærshovedgård, which houses foreigners sentenced to deportation, have long been a thorn in the eye of the local population. Most recently, the Parliamentary Ombudsman has criticized the conditions at the center, especially regarding security. This has prompted the council to take action by sending the letter, stating that “we cannot silently watch as the criminal residents… repeatedly commit new crimes.” Despite funding being allocated for security measures, the council believes these are not sufficient. They emphasize that it is rather the behavior and mobility of the residents that should be focused on in order to create real security and safety.
Historically, both the former VLAK government and the current S government have tried to address the problems by proposing the relocation of the relevant foreigners to new locations such as Lindholm and a center on Langeland, but none of these plans have materialized. The city council in Ikast-Brande Municipality is now in a situation where they feel an urgent need for concrete solutions, and the letter to the minister is a clear call for action. It is an expression of a municipality that no longer accepts the current state of affairs and demands changes to ensure its residents a safe and secure environment.