Lower Saxony: Increase in deportations of Syrian asylum seekers!

Lower Saxony: Increase in deportations of Syrian asylum seekers!

A worrying trend is emerging in Lower Saxony that affects Syrian asylum seekers. The number of deportations from this federal state is expected to increase after the general deportation bans for Syrians seeking protection have been lifted. Loud haz.de The number of complaints filed with the seven administrative courts in Lower Saxony has increased significantly, which illustrates the uncertainty for many of those affected. In particular, “young, able-bodied men traveling alone” are increasingly considering legal action against the rejection of their asylum applications.

The basis for these developments are decisions by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf), which no longer grants refugee status to many Syrian asylum seekers and at the same time no longer imposes deportation bans. A significant number of almost 99,000 Syrians currently live in Lower Saxony, with around 1,000 of them legally obliged to leave the country, but are tolerated for the time being. Against this background, the Bamf has started processing asylum applications from Syria again since the end of September and plans to expand the procedures as soon as the situation in Syria allows this.

Increasing number of lawsuits and their significance

The increase in lawsuits is considerable: in the last four weeks, more than 50 new lawsuits have been received by the administrative courts in Lower Saxony. These lawsuits are broken down as follows:

• Oldenburg: 23
• Hannover: 2
• Göttingen: 5
• Braunschweig: 2
• Stade: 12
• Osnabrück: 3
• Lüneburg: 5

However, similar lawsuits filed in other federal states did not meet with the desired success as they were overwhelmingly rejected. The problem of deportations is therefore increasingly being shifted to the courts. The Bamf is monitoring the situation and is working closely with the federal government, which is currently negotiating with Syria about possible repatriations.

A historical look at asylum in Germany

In this context, it is important to look back a little. Germany has long been a party to the Geneva Refugee Convention of 1951 and has developed a staggered asylum system over the years. Asylum procedures have been regulated by law since 1953, and various reforms have shaped asylum law in the country. The “Asylum Compromise” of 1992 significantly restricted access to asylum procedures and meant that refugees from safe countries of origin often lost any right to protection. This makes the current situation particularly uncertain for many asylum seekers.

The federal government is currently also planning to end humanitarian admission programs and suspend family reunification with people receiving subsidiary protection. With more than 727,900 people enjoying international protection in Germany at the end of June 2024, it is essential that our society grapples with the challenges of asylum law. After all, more than 351,000 asylum applications recently represent a new record.