Table of Contents
- Initial Arrival in Germany
- Unsuccessful Expulsion Plans
- Limited Entry Access
- Administrative Errors
- Absence of Flight Bookings
- Residency in Solingen
- Transfers to EU Nations
- The unsuccessful expulsion of the suspected murderer
The alleged knife attacker in Solingen, identified as Issa Al H., was supposed to be expelled to Bulgaria the previous year. Numerous bureaucratic errors and inadequate flight choices, however, kept him in Germany. Last week, the 26-year-old Syrian reportedly murdered three individuals and wounded eight others with a blade at the Solingen city festival. Let's examine what went wrong with his forced relocation:
Initial Arrival in Germany
Based on records from North Rhine-Westphalia's refugee ministry, Issa Al H. filed an asylum petition with the external office of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) in Bielefeld at the conclusion of January 2023. A preliminary examination revealed that he had previously submitted an application in Bulgaria.
On February 7, Bamf made an appeal to Bulgaria, as stipulated by the so-called Dublin regulations of the EU, to take charge of the case. Bulgaria went along on February 20. At that point, a 6-month deportation countdown began for Al H., who was housed temporarily in an emergency shelter in Paderborn.
On March 16, 2023, the Bamf ordered Al H.'s removal to Bulgaria. The Central Aliens Authorities (ZAB) in Bielefeld were tasked with carrying out this evacuation. ZABs are responsible for this task in five such authorities within NRW. One ZAB is assigned to the state of NRW but functions on behalf of the federal office, Bamf.
Unsuccessful Expulsion Plans
On March 21, 2023, the ZAB informed the Central Authority for Deportation Flights in NRW of the impending expulsion flight to Bulgaria. The scheduled check-in time at the emergency shelter to remove Al H. and take him to Düsseldorf was 2:30 a.m. on June 5, 2023, with a scheduled departure time of 7:20 a.m. However, Al H. was nowhere to be found - even though he was present on June 4 and reappeared on June 5.
At present, it remains unclear whether a warning was issued to him. German immigration authorities do not announce deportations in advance, according to the ministry. Nevertheless, even if he had gone into hiding, Bamf could have extended the deadline for removal to 18 months.
Limited Entry Access
In 2023, under existing regulations, authorities were prohibited from searching other areas in refugee shelters. This rule only changed at the beginning of the year, allowing authorities to enter additional rooms in communal shelters in addition to the room of the individual being deported.
Administrative Errors
The staff of the emergency shelter in Paderborn neglected to inform the ZAB in Bielefeld that Issa Al H. had returned. Although this was an oversight, no corresponding regulation existed.
The ZAB did not make any additional attempts to arrange a new flight for Al H. to Bulgaria. It is possible that the ZAB assumed that no flights were available within the remaining deportation deadline of August.
These obstacles tend to impede the deportation process, as various EU nations impose stringent regulations on asylum seekers to be sent back.
In the case of Bulgaria, according to the NRW Ministry of Refugees, deportation flights can only land in the capital, Sofia, from Monday to Thursday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Ground transport or charter flights are not permitted. A commercial airline can transport a maximum of two deportees per flight. Consequently, the ministry claims that only about ten deportations per week to Bulgaria are theoretically achievable for all 16 federal states.
The Subsequent Fate in Solingen
Issa Al H. was transferred to the national process by the BAMF after the 6-month deadline expired, resulting in a review of his asylum application by the BAMF. In late August 2023, Al H. was transferred to Solingen. On December 13, he was granted subsidiary protection by the BAMF, transferring the accountability for foreign nationals from the ZAB to the local immigration authority in Solingen.
On August 23, 2024, a fatal stabbing incident took place in the center of Solingen.
Dublin Transfers to EU Nations
Statistics reveal the challenges of transferring to Bulgaria and other EU member states. In the first half of 2024, there were 164 send-offs to Bulgaria under the Dublin regulations nationwide. However, NRW submitted 1,126 take-over requests to Bulgaria, of which Sofia accepted only around 426. Ultimately, 25 people were relocated - less than six percent.
The situation is not much better in other countries. Italy accepted roughly 1,470 of nearly 1,750 takeover requests from NRW between January and July, but no one was transferred. Greece only accepted 29 of 2,388 takeover requests from NRW - no relocations have occurred yet. NRW Minister Paul concludes, "This system is so convoluted and fundamentally ineffective."
After examining the challenges faced in transferring asylum seekers to EU nations, it's evident that other countries also impose strict regulations, hindering the process. For instance, Bulgaria only allows deportation flights to land in Sofia during specific hours, limiting the number of deportations each week.
Despite the allegations against Issa Al H., his residency in Solingen was not immediately revoked due to administrative errors and lack of available flights for deportation.
