Asylum

In many operations – and especially in Denmark - DRC provides legal aid to asylum seekers, migrants, and refugees to enable people to understand their rights and engage in the asylum procedure. Legal aid activities cover legal information dissemination and legal counselling as well as legal representation in certain cases.

DRC sees a development towards violations of rights of asylum seekers through illegal practices which limit access to territory and the asylum procedure, such as pushbacks and criminalisation of “unauthorised entry”, as well as schemes aimed at externalising responsibility for asylum processing and refugee protection. Increased use of accelerated border procedures and detention can also undermine access to fair and efficient asylum procedures.

DRC thus uses the knowledge from our legal aid and protection work about human rights violations and restrictive practices to advocate for fair and efficient asylum systems which safeguard the Refugee Convention and the principle of non-refoulement.  

DRC Asylum

In Denmark, DRC offers legal aid to asylum seekers throughout the procedure and has special role in the national asylum system in relation to manifestly unfounded cases.

DRC publishes reports on relevant countries, also called country of origin information (COI), as well as overviews of asylum practices. We also participate in fact-finding missions with the Danish Immigration Service.

Every year, the Minister for Immigration and Integration decides how many refugees should be resettled in Denmark. DRC participates in resettlement missions.

Read more about DRC Asylum