Asylum Revoked for Those Who Hide Underground, According to Home Minister
In Germany, a shift towards stricter asylum policies is underway, with a particular focus on increasing deportations and tightening controls on rejected asylum seekers, including those who evade the system by going underground.
The Interior Minister of Brandenburg, René Wilke, has suggested that re-entries after a previously rejected asylum application should be prevented more effectively. He believes that asylum seekers who go underground during their asylum procedure should automatically forfeit their asylum claim.
Between January 1 and July 17, 2025, 855 searches were initiated for asylum seekers who had gone underground. The responsibility for these searches was transferred from local authorities to the Central Foreigners' Authority of Brandenburg in May 2024. However, the ministry does not have comparative figures for the number of searches in previous years.
Wilke's policy has faced criticism from the AfD in Brandenburg, who view it as a superficial attempt to address the issue. The party's state chairman, René Springer, states that those who go underground have forfeited their right to stay in Germany and should be deported consistently. The AfD advocates for an "asylum turnaround" rather than just revoking the status of undocumented seekers.
The AfD is not alone in its criticism. Springer believes that anyone who goes underground in Germany is consciously breaking the law. He argues that revoking the asylum status is not enough; deportation is necessary.
This tougher approach to asylum seekers who go underground is part of a broader EU migration policy overhaul, aimed at reducing irregular arrivals and closing loopholes exploited by those who avoid procedures or live without authorization. The German government has also shifted policy towards rejecting undocumented asylum seekers at the border and enabling deportations, including to conflict zones like Syria and Afghanistan.
Rights groups and legal experts warn that such hardline policies could increase risks, including arbitrary detention and unlawful repatriations. However, the political consensus is moving towards stricter enforcement.
As of now, Germany historically allows the withdrawal or denial of asylum if an applicant deliberately avoids the process or conceals relevant information. The 2025 policy strengthening implies that undocumented stayers risk losing protection entitlements and can be subjected to immediate deportation efforts. However, explicit statutes or procedural details relating to losing asylum status solely due to going underground are not provided in the current search results but are consistent with these overall policy directions.
In summary, Germany's current asylum policy environment is geared towards expedited deportation of rejected asylum seekers, reduced tolerance for undocumented or "underground" migrants, and legal mechanisms likely leading to the loss of asylum claims or protection rights for those avoiding authorities. The exact provisions on claim loss for going underground are not specified in the available sources, but further official German legal texts or government policy statements would be needed for precise legal requirements regarding loss of asylum claims on the grounds of going underground.
- The ‘policy-and-legislation’ shift in Germany towards stricter asylum policies includes plans for more effective prevention of re-entries after a rejected asylum application, as suggested by Interior Minister René Wilke, who proposes that asylum seekers who go underground during their asylum procedure should automatically forfeit their asylum claim.
- Criticism of Germany's tougher approach towards asylum seekers who go underground has come from various political groups, including the AfD, who advocate for an 'asylum turnaround' rather than just revoking the status of undocumented seekers, and believe that deportation is necessary, aligning with EU migration policy overhaul aiming to reduce irregular arrivals and close loopholes.
