Interior Ministry of the Federal Government - The escalating frequency of expulsions from Germany is noteworthy.
Deportations are on the rise, with over 9,500 individuals being sent out of Germany in the first half of 2024, according to data from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, provided in response to a query by the Left party in the Bundestag, obtained by the German Press Agency. Compared to the same period last year, when 7,861 individuals were deported, this represents an increase of over 2,000 people. In total, 16,430 individuals were deported in 2023, while just under 13,000 were sent out in 2022.
The largest group of individuals deported in the first half of 2024 consisted of 915 people with Turkish passports. This was followed by individuals from Georgia (839), North Macedonia (774), Afghanistan (675), Albania (586), and Syria (534). The majority of deportations were to Georgia, North Macedonia, Austria, Albania, and Serbia. Despite ongoing discussions within the federal government following the fatal knife attack on a police officer in Mannheim at the end of May, Germany is currently not deporting to Syria and Afghanistan.
More than 3,000 Dublin cases
According to the data, the majority of the 9,465 individuals deported in the first half of 2024 were flown out: 7,848 people. In a third of all deportations (3,043 cases), individuals were returned to the European country responsible for their asylum procedure under the Dublin Regulation, as they had first arrived there. In 164 Dublin cases, individuals were deported to Bulgaria, where the Solingen attacker was also supposed to be transferred.
As of June 30, 2024, 226,882 individuals were subject to deportation in Germany, of whom 182,727 had and 44,155 did not have a so-called "tolerance" (Duldung). Individuals with toleration status are subject to deportation but cannot be deported for certain reasons, such as not having identity documents or being ill.
14,000 deportations failed
In the first half of 2024, 14,067 deportations failed before being handed over to the Federal Police, for example, because flights were canceled, people could not be found, or were ill, or for other organizational reasons. 534 deportations were stopped during or after being taken over by the Federal Police. Reasons can include airlines or pilots refusing to take those affected, "resistance actions," medical reasons, or ongoing legal proceedings.
Clara Bünger, a member of the Left party, stated that calls for more deportations are frequently made, but the number has been steadily increasing for years. "After the terrorist attack in Solingen, there are once again reflexive calls for more deportations. It must be said: deportations are not measures to prevent crime. They will not contain Islamism." She called for concrete strategies for crime prevention and youth social work.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior reported a significant increase in deportations, with the Federal government overseeing the removal of over 9,500 individuals in the first half of 2024. Despite discussions within the federal government after a fatal incident, Germany is currently not deporting to Syria and Afghanistan due to certain factors.
