4,088 people were deported from Germany to their countries of origin or other European states in the first quarter of this year, around 27% fewer than the same period last year. The Left party says deportations should be called off completetely in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Germany has suspended deportations to Afghanistan for the time being. The decision comes as a response to a request by Afghan authorities, the German interior ministry said.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, on March 12 a German charter deportation flight landed in Kabul. It may have been the last such flight for now, given the virus’ spread and ensuing global aviation shutdown.
Germany sent back 31 rejected asylum seekers to Afghanistan. They arrived in Kabul early on Thursday morning -- just two days after the most recent attack in the Afghan capital, which claimed six lives.
A group of Eritrean asylum seekers have held a protest in Slovenia against asylum request procedures, which the community sees as unfair. They also demonstrated against the rejection of five asylum claims filed by Eritreans.
Despite the rising number of asylum seekers ordered to leave Germany, deportation figures fell in 2019. But the reasons why are more complicated than it may seem.
After living in Germany for more than a year, Amin met a German woman and fell hopelessly in love. Two years after the beginning of their romance, Amin was deported to Algeria. Since then, they have done everything they can to be reunited. Here is Amin's story, in his own words:
The number of police officers escorting deported migrants from Germany has risen sharply over the past four years. Security staff are feeling the strain over safety concerns and distant destinations.
Germany has deported another group of rejected asylum seekers from Afghanistan back to their home country. 44 men arrived in Kabul on Wednesday - the 30th group to be deported in the past three years.
Thousands of asylum-seekers in Germany have returned multiple times after deportation, according to a report in German media. Those with entry bans often serve a few months in jail or are not arrested at all.
The new conservative government in Athens pledges to speed up asylum procedures and return thousands of migrants to Turkey. Not an easy task for a country at the heart of the so-called migrant crisis.
In the dispute with the right-wing nationalist government in Hungary over providing for rejected asylum seekers, the European Commission has upped the pressure. The government in Budapest has not yet smoothed out concerns, the responsible EU authority in Brussels said. Hungary now has one month to comply with EU rules or else face court action.