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Immigration: How Friedrich Merz distorts the truth with the truth

Immigration: How Friedrich Merz distorts the truth with the truth

The traffic light government has hardly presented ideas for immigration reform when CDU leader Friedrich Merz warns that deportation should be more consistent. 300,000 people are required to leave the country, he says. That’s correct. And again not.

In opposition work, the fine blade is seldom the instrument of choice, but usually the rough beating. CDU leader Friedrich Merz warns the traffic light government in a newspaper interview in the usual strict tone: “Something has to change,” he said with a view to the “repatriation offensive”. This was announced by the traffic light coalition a year ago and aims to implement deportations more consistently. The reason for Merz’ reprimand is the new red-green-yellow immigration plan. The opposition leader believes that the population would only accept more immigration if people without a right to stay left Germany quickly.

Evergreen “Consistent Deportation”

Merz’ insistence on “consistent” deportation is a perennial favorite of conservative party rhetoric, with the CDU and CSU particularly targeting criminals and those who are at risk. In order to illustrate the alleged drama of the problem, he of course also gives figures: 300,000 people are currently obliged to leave the country, but would live here, according to the parliamentary group leader. There’s nothing wrong with that, but at the same time it’s an example of how the truth can create a false image (and set mood).

To be precise, according to the central register of foreigners, there are 301,524 people who had no right to stay by the end of June and who should actually have left Germany. Actually. Because in practice there are numerous hurdles in the way of repatriation, the result: 250,000 of the 300,000 people cannot even be deported because they have a right to stay. So, contrary to what the Union faction leader claims, they are officially required to leave the country, but are in fact tolerated. Only the rest, 54,243 people to be precise, are currently living in the country without the appropriate papers, so they would actually have to leave Germany soon.

Those obliged to leave the country are not a homogeneous group

A look at the details makes it clear why there is a big gap between those who are obliged to leave the country and those who are actually deported:

  • For one thing, the group of undocumented people is not a uniform group. Half of them applied for asylum and were rejected. The other half are people who, for example, have overstayed their visa, whose residence permit has expired or whose right to freedom of movement has been revoked.
  • The toleration is also due to the well-functioning constitutional state. If a migrant submits an application for asylum that is rejected, as with any other administrative process, an objection and challenge in a court is possible. In the past, deportations that were rejected at short notice have repeatedly made headlines, with those affected already sitting on the plane, which then could not take off. Quite a few lawyers have specialized in using the bureaucracy for themselves and their clients.
  • A common problem is missing identity papers. They often ensure that refugees cannot leave Germany because, for example, their nationality is unknown and has to be clarified first. And even if the origin is clear, that does not mean that the home country is willing to take in the person or persons to be deported again. The countries of origin often block them, especially when it comes to dangerous people or criminals. Consequence: There is no place where those who are obliged to leave the country can go legally.
  • There is also a deportation freeze for a number of countries, such as Syria and Afghanistan.

Not even deported to Greece

  • Sometimes the EU directives also make returns more difficult. Officially, refugees must apply for asylum in the country where they first set foot on EU soil. Often are Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy. But anyone who then applies for asylum in Germany is automatically rejected and has to go back to the country in which they made the first application. Complaints are also filed against this, and sometimes successfully. Some courts recently prohibited deportations to Greece because the supply situation there was too bad.

Sources: DPA, AFP, , “”

Source: Stern

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