Social matters are being discussed. - In Lower Saxony, deportations from church asylums have been stopped.
In Lower Saxony, authorities will stop deporting individuals seeking refuge in church asylum. This news comes after a meeting between Interior Minister Daniela Behrens, officials from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), and representatives of the Protestant Church. Behrens expressed concern over the BAMF's recognition rate of 0.5 to 1 percent for hardship cases in church asylum, citing an example where a family from Bienenbüttel's church asylum was deported to Spain, despite humanitarian concerns. The state had to assist the federal authorities in this case, creating stress for the affected individuals, communities, and all those involved in the process.
Behrens expressed a strong desire for the churches and BAMF to reach a common understanding of what constitutes a hardship case, and both parties have agreed to continue discussions on the topic. The Lower Saxony Interior Minister affirmed, "The state government respects church asylum and will therefore not carry out any further deportations or deportations from church asylum."
The meeting was convened in response to the deportation of a Russian family from the church asylum in Bienenbüttel. The BAMF had deemed this family of four, who had applied for asylum in Germany, not to qualify as hardship cases. As a result, they were deported to Barcelona since they had entered Spain previously.
Recently, the number of individuals in church asylum has seen a significant increase. As per BAMF figures, there were 137 cases involving 159 people in Lower Saxony last year, 34 cases of church asylum with 39 people in the first quarter of 2024, and only 65 cases with 82 people in 2022.
The Bishop of Hannover, Ralf Meister, welcomed the Interior Minister's decision not to carry out deportations from church asylum. "An approach like the one in Bienenbüttel without prior consultation with us as churches is a significant hardship for the protected individuals and shocking for the compassionate people in the church community," stated the theologian. "Church communities will continue to offer church asylum after careful deliberation and in good conscience." For Christians, this occurs when asylum seekers experience difficulties related to their health, life, or psyche. "Sacred or sacred-used spaces are afforded special protection in our country, which should not be violated," asserted Meister.
Meister noted that 75 to 80 percent of church asylum cases in Lower Saxony were also recognized as hardship cases by the BAMF in 2015. The community in Bienenbüttel cited the mother's health condition, the father and son's job offers, the daughter's successful integration into a grammar school, and a positive prognosis for integration as hardship case reasons for the Russian family.
According to the Interior Ministry, most church asylum cases involve what's known as "Dublin cases." These individuals entered another EU member state, applied for asylum there, and then came to Germany and reapplied for asylum. According to current legal regulations, these cases are typically the responsibility of the original EU country in which the asylum application was filed.
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- Daniela Behrens, the Interior Minister of Lower Saxony, expressed concern over the BAMF's low recognition rate for hardship cases in church asylum.
- The BAMF had deemed a Russian family from Bienenbüttel's church asylum not to qualify as hardship cases, leading to their deportation to Spain.
- Behrens affirmed that the state government respects church asylum and will not carry out any further deportations or deportations from church asylum.
- The Bishop of Hannover, Ralf Meister, welcomed the decision, stating that an unconsulted approach to church asylum is a significant hardship.
- Meister noted that 75 to 80 percent of church asylum cases in Lower Saxony were also recognized as hardship cases by the BAMF in 2015.
- Most church asylum cases in Lower Saxony involve "Dublin cases," individuals who entered another EU member state, applied for asylum there, and then came to Germany and reapplied for asylum.
- According to the Interior Ministry, these cases are typically the responsibility of the original EU country in which the asylum application was filed.
- The meeting between Behrens, BAMF officials, and church representatives aimed to find a common understanding of what constitutes a hardship case in church asylum.
Source: www.stern.de
