A broad alliance of more than 60 non-governmental organizations have called for the elimination of so-called anchor centers in Germany, which are used to accommodate asylum seekers and process their applications.
Higher numbers of asylum seekers lead to greater support for right-wing political parties, researchers in Germany say. One study found that housing asylum seekers in reception centers gives anti-migrant parties a boost at the ballot box.
According to Germany's asylum office BAMF, anchor centers for asylum seekers still aren't living up to their promise of speeding up asylum procedures. While the government defended the facilities, others criticized it.
A center for asylum seekers in Cologne is under total lockdown after more than a third of residents tested positive for coronavirus. There are renewed concerns that asylum seekers in communal reception facilities in the country remain at high risk from the virus.
Recent reports show that asylum procedures in so-called anchor centers in Germany currently take longer than they should. The government had introduced the facilities to speed up asylum-related processes.
Some 600 residents of an "anchor center" in the German state of Bavaria are under quaratine after eight asylum seekers and an employee tested positive for the coronavirus. Meanwhile, the partial lockdown in Bavaria has been extended to April 19.
Prince's journey from Nigeria to Germany has left him with mental health problems and little trust in the asylum system. But his passion for making a positive difference still burns. This is his story.
Selma and her husband fled Iran with their two children more than a year ago. After becoming separated at the Greek border, they finally ended up in Germany -- but in two different cities. Now they are desperate to be reunited. This is Selma's story.
Prison camps or places of sanctuary? More efficient or restricting asylum seekers' rights? Opinions about Germany’s ‘anchor’ centers remain deeply divided. InfoMigrants visited Bamberg in Bavaria to find out how the center there is working 16 months on.
Germany's federal police chief said a lack of pre-deportation facilities is hampering the deportation of rejected asylum seekers and illegal foreigners to third-countries.
The international human rights organization Doctors of the World says it won't continue to run medical clinics at an asylum seeker center in Bavaria. The group says the living conditions in the Anchor Center make it impossible to provide proper treatment.
What is being done to protect women from violence in asylum shelters in Germany? Not enough, many activists say. So what can women do if they don’t feel safe there? Here’s what you need to know.