Who serves who? The role of NGO’s in implementing migration policy in Rotterdam

With the development of a new policy in an effort to centralize the governing of undocumented migrants in the Netherlands, NGO’s in Rotterdam together with governmental organizations have started to work towards a sustainable future for the undocumented. By using a qualitative method, this study analyses the way in which NGO’s navigate their position as an independent organization and also as an implementor of national and local policy. Applying the theories of structure and agency, policy ambiguity and conflict and that of divided loyalties, the analysis shows that NGO’s use their own capacity to reach organizational goals while simultaneously implementing policy. Furthermore, NGO’s make use of policy ambiguity to provide care for undocumented people that are ineligible for shelter under the new policy. Lastly, there is no sense of divided loyalties because NGO’s have a very strong sense of independence regardless of their collaboration with the government.