Police and authorities should have more rights in the deportation process. The so-called “exit custody” will be extended from ten to 28 days. The FDP does not go far enough; wants to put an end to “false incentives”.
The German federal government wants to increase deportations. The cabinet approved a corresponding bill in Berlin on Wednesday. “We are ensuring that people without the right to stay leave our country more quickly”, explained German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD). In order to protect the fundamental right to asylum, irregular migration must be significantly limited.
Among other things, it is planned to extend the maximum duration of so-called exit custody from the current ten to 28 days. In addition, expanded powers are planned for authorities and tougher measures against smugglers. With the law, which still needs to be approved by the Bundestag, the federal government wants to reduce the number of deportations that fail in the short term. Regarding the package of measures, Faeser said: “This is necessary so that we can continue to fulfill our humanitarian responsibility towards the people we have to protect from war and terror, like the 1.1 million people of Ukraine.”
Deportations no longer need to be announced
According to the draft so-called Return Improvement Act, law enforcement officials must also be allowed to enter third-party rooms in shared accommodation when searching for people to be deported. Furthermore, deportations should no longer have to be announced in certain circumstances. Members of criminal organizations should be able to be expelled more easily in the future. It’s particularly important to her to deport criminals and dangerous people more consistently, Faeser said. Threats are people who security authorities believe will commit serious acts of violence, including terrorist attacks.
Apartments must be capable of being searched for data carriers and documents in order to clarify the identity and nationality of those affected. In order to ease the burden on the authorities, stay in Germany during the asylum procedure should be approved for six months instead of the current three months. Other groups should also be allowed to stay for longer periods.
According to information from the German federal government to the left-wing faction, there were a total of 7,861 deportations from Germany between January and June this year. According to information from last year, there were 6,198 deportations in the same period last year. As of June 30, a total of 279,098 people in Germany were forced to leave the country. However, the majority of them (224,768) were tolerated and cannot be deported. The reasons for this may be illness or lack of documents.
“It will hardly lead to more deportations”
With his bill, Faeser aims to ensure that deportations are carried out more consistently. However, there is often a lack of willingness to cooperate in home countries. Criticism of the plans came from both the opposition and refugee associations, although for different reasons. The internal policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Alexander Throm (CDU), welcomed the removal of obstacles to deportations. However, he noted: “It is crucial to slow the rampant flow of asylum migration.” Unauthorized entries into Germany and Europe must be reduced. The chairmen of the AfD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, criticized: “As long as illegal migrants are not consistently rejected at the borders, but are also attracted with high social benefits, unlimited family reunification and simplified residence rules like a magnet of migration, those presented are corrections to the deportation rules and are merely symbolic policies.”
Wiebke Judith of Pro Asyl criticized the federal government for sacrificing the rights of people affected by “right-wing populist discourse.” “It is unlikely that stricter deportation rules will result in significantly more people being deported.”
There is considerable skepticism about the plans within the Green ranks. The parliamentary group will raise “constitutional and European law concerns” in deliberations in the Bundestag, said MP Filiz Polat of the German Press Agency. She spoke of “disproportionate interference with the fundamental rights to liberty, the sanctity of the home and privacy.” When asked about such reservations, Faeser pointed to the approval of Green ministers. “This is not a Faeser decision today, but a Federal Cabinet decision.”
Green parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann emphasized that in subsequent consultations the Greens would focus particularly on constitutional issues and the protection of children and families. “However, debate on this issue should not distract from the fact that the majority of refugees who come to Germany are fleeing war and terror and have the right to protection.” This is why it is important to make progress on reducing work bans. According to Faeser, a decision on the matter is expected next week.
FDP plans do not go far enough
FDP representatives welcomed Faeser’s plans, but insisted on new measures. Parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr called for an end to “false incentives” so that fewer people would come to Germany. By the next Prime Minister’s Conference, states will have to decide to switch from cash to payment cards for asylum seekers. “I expect a clear signal from the Union in particular.” FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai made a similar statement on the German editorial network.
Even before the cabinet’s decision, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz asked the leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Friedrich Merz, in a letter, to seek support for the legislative package from the states led by the CDU and its parliamentary group, so that it could be approved this year. “In fact, the problem can only be resolved in close collaboration – with our European partners and all federal levels in our country,” says the letter, dated Monday. It is important for him that the legislative package at the federal-state summit on November 6 leads to concrete agreements on the regulation of migration. (APA/dpa)