German municipalities want tougher immigration rules

2024-09-03 13:19:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ahead of the German government's talks with the CDU/CSU Union and the country's consequences for migration policy after the assassination attempt in Solingen, the General Association of German Municipalities demands significantly tougher measures than have been planned so far. In a statement of the magazine "Spiegel" where the document of the association of municipalities was taken, it is said that until now "a general concept for another migration policy in principle" is missing.

No state is obliged to "take in refugees to the extent that they pose acute risks to the functioning of its institutions," said the communes' document ahead of Tuesday's meeting. Signals of an overload are an overburdened administration and a lack of capacity for accommodation and integration. Here in many directions the "limits" have been reached or in the meantime exceeded. Germany should have the right to a national ban on accepting refugees as a last resort - ultima ratio.

No asylum without a passport?

The General Association of German Municipalities further requests "that the asylum applications of persons whose identity is not ensured through identification documents or similar documents, may in principle be rejected in the meantime as inadmissible". In addition, it is requested that the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, BAMF react to the improvement of the situation in the countries of origin and meanwhile withdraw the granted recognition of the right to asylum. The document further states that deportations in Syria "should not be carried out only to dangerous persons and those with criminal offenses, but as a whole". The federal states should meanwhile create more places for people detained before deportation.

It is further demanded that refugees, for whom another EU country is responsible, should not be allowed to enter Germany, "turning them back at the German border". If this is not possible due to EU regulations, these should be created.

Even the head of the CDU, Friedrich Merz, calls for a significant reduction in immigration to Germany. The problem isn't gun rights or deportation, Merz said. "The real problem is, as before, the pressure of uncontrolled immigration." Merz demanded, like the German municipalities, deportations from the German borders. Even the head of the Conference of Prime Ministers of the Federal Lands, the Prime Minister of Hesse, Boris Rhein, CDU demands a "turn in immigration policy". He strengthened his demands on Monday. "The Federation must continue internal border controls, and finally begin to return consistently at the border."

In charge of immigration: No general suspicion

The German government's commissioner for migration, Reem Alabali-Radovan, warned before the federal and state meeting of a "one-sided focus on toughening immigration policy". The "security package" should strengthen protection against terror, violence and criminality, the social democratic politician told the German editorial network, RND. "The important thing is that this is carried out without general suspicion and generalization."/DW