BERLIN - A Kurdish lawyer based in Germany said on Wednesday that immigrants facing deportation should seek legal counsel to keep their asylum cases open, as Berlin intensifies its crackdown on illegal migration. “Immigrants can use the law through lawyers and legal experts to keep their asylum cases open and remain in the country,” Mustafa Qadir told Rudaw. Germany is ramping up deportations, with hundreds of individuals being returned at its borders, sparking criticism from opposition parties over human rights concerns. In a written response to Rudaw in May, Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) said rejected asylum seekers will be deported regardless of their level of integration, including those with jobs or language skills. It added that applicants may be sent back “even without their consent” if they are not deemed to face specific threats in their home countries. Internal relocation within the country of origin is also considered before granting asylum. Many recent deportees had been living in Germany under temporary toleration status, known as Duldung, which only suspends deportation and does not guarantee legal residency. Some had jobs or were enrolled in integration programs. Qadir said a plane carrying around 100 Iraqis flew from Germany to Baghdad this month, with about 60 individuals deported. “Some of them had received deportation notices years ago,” he explained. “What is unfortunate is that some people have been here for 15, 16, or even 20 years and are now being returned,” he added. “Not all of them have committed crimes.” He noted that some deportations are happening when people visit government offices to renew their residence cards - something he says was rare in previous years. Qadir added that the German and Iraqi governments have agreements in place to cover the costs of repatriating deportees quickly. Germany is tightening migration laws amid pressure on public services and infrastructure. In June, a senior Social Democratic Party official told Rudaw that Berlin cannot handle another large influx of migrants and must return to a managed migration policy. According to BAMF, nearly 251,000 asylum applications were registered in Germany in 2024. Iraqis remain among the largest groups seeking refuge, often using smuggling routes to reach Europe. Immigration was a central issue in Germany’s February parliamentary elections. The Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union bloc - considered center-right - secured 28.5 percent of the vote, followed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) with 20.5 percent, and the Social Democrats (SPD) with 16.4 percent. In January, the parliament passed a controversial migration control bill aimed at tightening enforcement. The legislation includes five measures: preventing illegal immigration, deporting those without legal status, deporting foreign criminals, detaining those under removal orders, and limiting family reunification. Germany is a popular destination for tens of thousands of Iraqis and residents of the Kurdistan Region who attempt to reach Europe each year, often through smuggling routes.
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