The German parliament has approved a series of measures aimed at tightening the country’s immigration policy and making it easier to deport refugees, while British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called on the House of Lords to pass his controversial immigration bill, which stipulates the deportation of migrants who arrive in the country illegally to Rwanda.
The measures, passed by Parliament on Thursday, grant new powers to the German police to search for refugees who are ordered to be deported from Germany more easily. It also stipulates that the maximum detention period prior to deportation is now 28 days, up from previously only 10 days, to give authorities sufficient time for the deportation process.
The German government estimates that this package of measures will lead to about 600 additional deportation operations of asylum seekers from Germany per year.
In her comments on the matter, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on Thursday that the new measures are designed to facilitate the prompt and effective deportation of illegal refugees. She added, “We will ensure that individuals who are not entitled to stay in our country are deported more quickly.”
Faeser also pointed out that stricter enforcement of current immigration policy has led to a 27% increase in the deportation of asylum seekers last year, with a total of 16,430 illegal migrants being removed from the country.
Faeser emphasized the need to deport more refugees and migrants whose German asylum requests have been denied, back to their home countries, which she believes would free up resources for those who must be accommodated in Germany, in her words.
In reference to the new measures possibly not targeting those fleeing war-torn countries, Faeser clarified, “For those fleeing war and terror, they can count on our support.”
Human rights organizations criticized the new measures approved by the German parliament. An organization called “SOS Humanity,” which is involved in the rescue of refugees whose boats are stranded at sea, said it is appalling that refugees fleeing from war, and the organizations assisting them, are subjected to imprisonment.
Germany is seeking to reduce the number of refugees coming to its borders, following a record increase in the number of asylum and migration applications that exceeded 50% last year, in addition to having accepted one million Ukrainian refugees. The concerned authorities say this poses a challenge and restricts their capacity to absorb refugees.
Sunak Calls for Controversial Law to be Passed in the UK
In the context of laws aiming to curb the flow of refugees into Europe, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged the House of Lords on Thursday to pass his controversial immigration bill, which aims to deport refugees arriving in the UK by routes deemed illegal by the authorities to Rwanda.
Sunak stated in a press conference that passing the bill is a “national priority” and urged the Lords to approve it “as soon as possible so we can start sending planes” to Rwanda.
The House of Commons has already passed the contravening bill by a comfortable majority after hotly contested debates and division within the Conservative Party, amidst pressures from the party’s right wing which led to the resignation of several party leaders.
The bill, which considers Rwanda a safe country to which asylum seekers can be deported, has been referred to the House of Lords for a vote, amidst increasing voices criticizing it and calling for it not to be passed.
Sunak said his government’s plan to deport illegal refugees will be productive and insisted that the law would act as a “useful deterrent” to prevent refugees and migrants from entering Britain through illegal means, particularly via small boats crossing the English Channel.
Official figures indicate that around 30,000 refugees entered Britain last year using boats across the Channel, with the number of refugees reaching a record high in 2022, exceeding 45,000 people. The British Home Office also reports that 358 refugees entered its territory on Wednesday alone.
