By the end of 2023, 3.17 million people have applied for protection in the Central Register of Foreigners, i.e. 95 thousand people. than the previous year – reported the Central Statistical Office in Wiesbaden. In 2022, this number was increased by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Most of the asylum seekers are still from Ukraine
The largest group of asylum seekers, 977,000 people, comes from Ukraine. However, it was down three percent from the previous year. Other large groups were refugees from Syria – 712,000 (plus 6%), from Afghanistan – 323,000 (plus 13%), Iraq – 200,000 (minus 5%) and Turkey – 152,000 (plus 51%). Together, these five nationalities account for nearly three-quarters of asylum seekers.
Germany. No place for immigrants
By the end of last year, more than 2.5 million people had received humanitarian protection status. There were 12% of such people. Compared to the previous year, this was mainly due to the influx of Ukrainian war refugees. Majority, 87 percent. All protected status holders received it for a limited period.
Importance of Asylum Procedure
About half of those with temporary protection status received it as a result of the asylum procedure. After Russia invaded Ukraine, protection was also granted without such a procedure. 189,000 refugees were denied asylum or had their protection status revoked.
Due to pending decisions, 455,000 security positions remain unresolved by the end of 2023 – 20%. Less than the previous year, according to statisticians, mainly related to applications submitted by people from Ukraine.
More exodus from Germany
Proportionally more people were deported from Germany in the first quarter of this year than at the beginning of 2023.
By the end of March 2024, 4,791 people without a right of residence had been expelled from Germany, the federal interior ministry announced in response to an inquiry by the left group in the Bundestag. During the same period last year, 3,566 foreigners had to leave the country this way. The Ministry of Internal Affairs’ data were provided by the Evangelischer Pressedienst (epd), and the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” received them first. 16,000 people were deported from Germany in the whole of last year. 430 people.
In the first quarter, the largest number of evacuees were citizens of North Macedonia – 483. The next places in this figure were taken by Turkey (449), Georgia (416), Afghanistan (345) and Serbia (312).
Harsh words from the Left MP
Clara Bünger of the Left Party, which submitted the inquiry, accused the German government of “expulsion mania”. – The moral barriers of the authorities seem to be disappearing – the MP said in an interview with “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”. According to her, the number of deportees is increasing, although there are fewer people who have to leave Germany, and refugees “fear war, arbitrary arrest, torture, extreme poverty or return to countries with no opportunities.”
According to Banker, despite the still dangerous situation in Iraq, the increase in the number of evacuees is of particular concern. Among them were Yezidis who survived the genocide. – We urgently need the humanitarian right of residence of Yezidi refugees – he stressed.
Work on return optimization
The figures for the first quarter were not significantly affected by the Return Optimization Act, which came into effect at the end of February. It contains a number of provisions aimed at making compulsory income more effective. It also includes extending the maximum pre-removal detention period for illegal immigrants from 10 to 28 days. Recently, the police have the right to enter the various rooms of the collective accommodation of asylum seekers, not only those occupied by people who need to leave Germany.