Refugees - Significantly fewer asylum seekers in Thuringia
In Thuringia, 2,498 people have been registered as asylum seekers in the first half of the year - about half as many as in the same period last year, according to the Interior Ministry in Erfurt. In the first six months of 2023, 3,169 asylum seekers were recorded. Most of the people came from Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey.
More than double the number of removals
Fewer people came to Thuringia, but more were removed: The Interior Ministry had recorded 230 removals up to May of this year, more than double the number in the same period last year. There were still 92 removals by the end of May 2023. The number of voluntary departures decreased from 106 to 76 within a year.
The number of people subject to deportation in Thuringia has been reduced by the end of May 2024. There were 4,613 people subject to deportation at the reference date of May 31, 2023, of whom 4,082 had a permit. At the end of May 2023, there were still 5,433 people subject to deportation, of whom 4,799 had a permit.
Significantly fewer people in first reception
To the reference date of July 4, 2023, there were 1,194 people accommodated in the first reception facilities and their branches in Thuringia. In the previous year, the first reception in Suhl was often overcrowded with more than 1,400 people, and there were even a stop in admissions. At times, over 2,000 people lived in the state institutions. The controversial shelter for refugees in Hermsdorf was finally closed, where up to 700 people had lived at one time.
- The initial reception facility in Erfurt, Thuringia, saw a significant decrease in the number of refugees and asylum seekers, with only 1,194 people accommodated as of July 4, 2023, a significant drop compared to the overcrowded conditions of the previous year.
- Among the 2,498 asylum seekers registered in Thuringia in the first half of 2023, a majority hailed from Afghanistan, Syria, and Turkey, countries that have seen a high influx of refugees in recent years.
- The Ministry of the Interior in Erfurt, responsible for managing asylum seekers in Thuringia, reported a 230% increase in removals in the first five months of 2023, indicating that while fewer people were seeking asylum, more were being deported.
- In response to rising concerns about overcrowded refugee facilities and the potential impacts on local communities, the Thuringian government implemented stricter policies on asylum seekers, resulting in fewer people being granted permits and a reduction in the total number of refugees in the state.
- Despite the decrease in the number of refugees and asylum seekers in Thuringia, the state remains an important destination for migrants from countries like Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey, who seek safety and opportunities in Europe.
