The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is resuming asylum proceedings for Syrian refugees, prioritizing young, employable, single men. According to a spokesperson’s statement to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, the agency will begin processing cases within this specific demographic group, starting at the end of September 2025. Decisions regarding family asylum requests, however, remain on hold.
This phased resumption marks a significant shift in policy after BAMF suspended all decisions related to Syrian asylum claims late last year, citing the volatile and unpredictable situation in Syria following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad. Currently, approximately 52,700 asylum cases involving Syrian nationals are still pending.
The prioritization of young, single men has drawn criticism and raised concerns about fairness and potential discrimination. The decision appears to align with recent statements from Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), who recently advocated for the deportation of individuals lacking residency permits. Dobrindt’s distinction between “successfully integrated, working individuals” and those “living off social benefits and without a claim to asylum” has intensified the debate and fueled accusations of a hardening approach to asylum seekers.
Critics argue that the criteria employed by BAMF, coupled with the Minister’s rhetoric, risk stigmatizing vulnerable individuals and exacerbate anxieties within Syrian communities. The selective resumption of proceedings also raises questions about the long-term implications for family reunification and the legal recourse available to those deemed less “desirable” under the new framework. Political analysts suggest this move is intended to appease a conservative electorate and deflect attention from the ongoing debate surrounding immigration policy, potentially at the expense of humanitarian considerations and international legal obligations. The long-term impact of this policy shift remains to be seen, but it undeniably signifies a more restrictive approach to asylum claims from Syria.