By Geraldine Coughlan
BBC News, The Hague |
 It is thought that many of the 26,000 have gone underground |
Some 200,000 people in the Netherlands have signed a petition asking the Dutch Queen Beatrix to grant a royal pardon to 26,000 failed asylum seekers. The asylum seekers are being sent home as part of the centre-right government's tough new asylum policy.
Organisers will hand in the petition on Thursday morning ahead of the Queen's silver jubilee celebrations, which are scheduled to take place on Saturday.
Hundreds of well-known names are among the signatures on the petition.
The petition is one of a series of protests against what many regard as the government's inhumane policy towards the asylum seekers who have been living here for many years under the previous asylum laws.
Dutch speaking children
Most of these refugees have integrated into Dutch society and many have children who speak only Dutch.
The petition prompted a former cabinet minister to present a motion to parliament on Tuesday asking for these cases to be reviewed.
MPs rejected it but the petition organisers say they will press ahead with their campaign for the 26,000 to get a second chance.
Some of the refugees have accepted a cash offer from the government to return to their countries voluntarily.
The authorities believe many more have gone underground, staying on in the Netherlands illegally.
Human rights groups have also criticised the government's asylum policy claiming refugees are being sent back to unsafe areas such as parts of Sudan, Afghanistan and much of Chechnya.
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