Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced plans to significantly speed up the deportation process for rejected asylum seekers through new legislation that will aim to reduce various “deportation barriers”. Speaking to RTL and ntv on Wednesday, Dobrindt emphasized the necessity of creating a more efficient policy, citing current failures in returns due to factors such as the inability to locate individuals or conduct necessary searches.
The minister also detailed plans to establish alternative repatriation routes. Specifically, he aims to create options for moving people to third countries when the intended home nations fail to cooperate. He intends to utilize so-called “Return Hubs” not only within Germany but also in other nations outside the European Union, to facilitate these transfers. While Dobrindt did not name potential partner countries, he confirmed that ongoing talks are taking place with a range of third countries, as well as within the European Union.
Regarding deportation goals, while he did not set a specific target for additional removals, he noted that deportations were increased by 20 percent last year. He stated that amid varied reasons, the country expects to maintain the deportation momentum in 2024, projecting the removal of approximately 24,000 individuals.
A key focus is the increased deportation of convicted criminals to destinations such as Afghanistan and Syria. Since December of last year, cooperation agreements with Afghanistan have allowed for the regular and routine deportation of criminal suspects, utilizing not only charter flights but also standard commercial routes. Dobrindt stated that this practice must be consistently maintained, concluding that Germany is safer when criminal elements are compelled to leave the country.