Germany Steps Up Migrant Deportations in 2025 Amid Broader EU Push for Tougher Asylum Policies
Germany's deportations surge: 11,800 forced returns in 2025's first half—a dramatic rise from 2024. Syrians with criminal records now face removal as Berlin toughens migration policies under EU pressure.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Germany has witnessed a sharp rise in deportations during the first half of 2025, with official figures showing that more than 11,800 forced returns were carried out, marking a significant increase from the same period in 2024. The data was disclosed on Friday, by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in response to a parliamentary inquiry by MP Leif-Erik Holm of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The new total reflects a dramatic uptick from the approximately 9,500 deportations conducted in the first six months of last year and is part of a broader trend of tightening immigration control measures.
Record Numbers and Rising Political Pressure
In all, over 20,000 people were deported from Germany in 2024—the highest number recorded in several years. The surge signals a firming stance against those whose asylum applications have been rejected or whose legal residence permits have expired.
The development comes amid mounting political pressure within Germany and across the European Union to reform migration and asylum systems. In particular, Germany’s ruling coalition has come under growing criticism from right-wing and populist parties, notably the AfD, for what they deem insufficiently strict migration enforcement.
Germany to Begin Deporting Criminal Syrians
Earlier this month, on July 6, Germany’s Interior Ministry announced plans to initiate deportations of Syrian nationals with criminal records. A spokesperson confirmed that the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) had been tasked with taking legal action against “dangerous and delinquent” individuals.
“Committing serious crimes disqualifies a person from the protections granted under asylum law and can result in the revocation of any previously granted status,” the spokesperson told AFP.
The ministry noted that the new policy followed an agreement between Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative-led government and Social Democratic coalition partners to begin deportations to Syria and Afghanistan, starting with individuals deemed security threats or convicted offenders.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed that communication is ongoing between Berlin and Damascus regarding the return of Syrian nationals with criminal convictions.
European Ministers Demand Stricter Asylum Enforcement
The German escalation aligns with calls from other EU member states for more assertive immigration policies. Earlier this month, Interior Minister Dobrindt participated in a joint meeting with counterparts from Austria, Denmark, France, the Czech Republic, and Poland. The group issued a joint statement advocating a tougher collective EU stance on deportations.
“Effective returns are essential to maintaining public trust in a balanced European migration system,” the ministers stated, emphasizing that failure to enforce deportation rulings undermines the credibility of asylum systems and the ability to shelter those genuinely in need.
Right-Wing Influence and Policy Reset
Observers note that Germany’s increasingly stringent deportation policies reflect broader demographic and economic concerns, as well as rising pressure from right-wing and populist parties that blame migration for a host of domestic challenges.
As debates intensify in Berlin and Brussels, Germany appears to be leading the charge in reasserting national and continental control over immigration—setting the tone for a pivotal recalibration of European asylum policy in the years ahead.
