Refugees - many more asylum applications in Lower Saxony
The number of asylum applications in Lower Saxony is still at a high level. In the first half of the year, a total of 13,475 applications were submitted by the deadline on June 30th, according to the Lower Saxony Interior Ministry.
For comparison, approximately 29,000 applications were submitted in the previous year as a whole. If similar numbers of applications were submitted in the second half of the year, the previous year's figure would not be reached. According to the reports, most applications were submitted by people from Syria. They were followed by Turkish, Colombian, Iraqi, and Afghan nationals.
Ukrainian refugees are statistically separated because they do not need to apply for asylum. Since the conflict began in late February 2022, 111,702 people have come from Ukraine to Lower Saxony. The number has remained almost unchanged since the turn of the year.
The admission of Ukrainian refugees is regulated according to a specific key. As of July 7th, Lower Saxony had taken in 8,007 refugees from Ukraine, which is more than the quota. It is not statistically recorded how many people from Ukraine have already returned to their homeland or have gone to another country.
As of June 30th, approximately half of the accommodation places of the federal reception office in Lower Saxony were occupied. Exactly 5,532 of the 11,895 places were needed. This number is slightly higher than in May (around 5,200 people) but lower than at the turn of the year (around 6,000). According to the Interior Ministry, it is possible to increase capacity temporarily with emergency accommodation places. The number of new arriving asylum seekers has been around 400-500 people per week in recent weeks.
Many accommodation places in Bremen are occupied
Around 1,326 asylum applications were submitted in Bremen by June 30th, according to the Bremen Interior Department. The five main countries of origin of the asylum seekers in this period were Syria, Turkey, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Russia. Between 13,000 and 14,000 people have come from Ukraine to the Federal City-State since the conflict began. Around 11,000 of them still live there.
Recently, the accommodation places in Bremen were mostly occupied by around 6,400 people, according to the Social Department. Bremen regularly takes in more asylum seekers than required. The number of new arriving asylum seekers was around 60 people per week since the beginning of the year, according to the Social Department. In March, 4,900 people received benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act. A year ago, it was 4,600.
Criticism from the opposition
The Lower Saxony AfD interior politician Stephan Bothe spoke of a welcome development in the face of the decline compared to the first half of 2023. "It is obvious that the temporary border controls, which have been carried out at certain borders and since the beginning of the European Championship at all German borders, have an effect." However, this is not enough. "Permanent and comprehensive border controls and, if necessary, also border closures must be continued or implemented until the inflow of people is reduced to an acceptable level."
The CDU fraction leader in the Lower Saxony state parliament, Sebastian Lechner, stated that the numbers were still too high. Communities were at their limit. "We must stop illegal migration to Germany and Europe. This includes extending the border controls that were carried out during the European Championship." In addition, returns should be possible through agreements with neighboring European countries. Lechner demanded that consistent and faster action be taken in deportations.
- Despite a decline in the number of asylum applications compared to the previous year in Lower Saxony, it still remains at a high level, with 13,475 applications submitted in the first half of 2023.
- Syrian nationals accounted for the majority of asylum applications in Lower Saxony, followed by Turkish, Colombian, Iraqi, and Afghan nationals.
- Unlike other nations, Ukrainian refugees do not require asylum, with 111,702 people from Ukraine entering Lower Saxony since late February 2022.
- Lower Saxony exceeded its quota for Ukrainian refugees, having taken in 8,007 refugees as of July 7th, but the exact number of returns or departures remains unknown.
- By June 30th, approximately half of the accommodation places in Lower Saxony's federal reception office were occupied, with 5,532 people needing these places.
- Asylum applications in Bremen were also high, with 1,326 submissions by June 30th, with Syrians, Turks, Somalians, Afghans, and Russians being the top five countries of origin for asylum seekers in Bremen.
