- Debate over domestic inspections by refugee newcomers
There's ongoing talk that refugees might briefly go back to their native lands without valid legal reasons. This discussion has picked up pace due to asylum seekers from Afghanistan. Regrettably, the figures aren't accessible to the authorities. It's claimed by RTL that tourist agencies in Hamburg are supposedly arranging getaways to the Hindukush for individuals from Afghanistan.
The German Government's Commissioner for Migration, Joachim Stamp (FDP), now advises refugees against visiting their homelands for pleasure or recreation. He told Bild: "Germany should remain open-minded, but not naive. The authorities must ensure that individuals who've applied for asylum here, but are vacationing in their home country, immediately lose their protected status and can no longer stay in Germany."
Hamburg's Senator of the Interior, Andy Grote (SPD), told the German Press Agency that travel to the alleged country of persecution would also challenge the protected status. "If there are easy travel routes to Afghanistan, there's also the possibility of deportations."
Protected status post-homeland trips is under review
Trips to the homeland can be permitted in certain situations - for instance, due to a severe illness or the passing of close relatives. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) in Nuremberg asserts that in each individual case, it's examined whether the granted protection is to be revoked following known homeland trips.
However, the authority doesn't have exact stats on how often the protection has been revoked. The Bamf publishes a general statistic on protection examinations - which also take place for reasons other than homeland visits. Yet, there's no detailed breakdown of why a review or revocation of the protection decision is being considered.
On the legality of homeland trips, a spokesman stated: "Generally, the Bamf assumes, in line with case law, that these are only allowed under specific conditions." For example, a short return trip to fulfill a moral obligation - such as attending a funeral or visiting a seriously ill family member - isn't a grounds for revocation.
Homeland visits have been debated before
Discussions about homeland visits by individuals seeking asylum in Germany have occurred in previous years, for instance, regarding trips by individuals from Syria. In 2017, an AfD application in the Baden-Württemberg state parliament caused a stir, proposing an investigation into homeland stays by refugees.
The Interior Ministry then stated, based on a survey of foreigner authorities, that around 160 cases had been known since 2014 where individuals had returned to their home countries once or more. A certain degree of uncertainty is to be assumed. Personal, family, or business reasons were given as examples.
In 2017, the North Rhine-Westphalia state government stated in response to a minor request that, according to their information, the refugees in question did not travel to their home countries to "vacation".
The travel agency involved in organizing trips to Afghanistan for individuals from Afghanistan is a topic of controversy, as claimed by RTL. In light of these concerns, the German Government's Commissioner for Migration advises refugees against using travel agencies for recreational visits to their homelands.
