Expanding Detention Facilities for Deportation by the Federal States

In recent times, Germany has seen a surge in political pressure to expedite the deportation of rejected asylum seekers, with proposals to strip them of automatic legal support aimed at speeding up proceedings [3]. This push for quicker deportations has led to an increased focus on the country's deportation detention facilities.

However, a comprehensive, state-by-state breakdown of these facilities' capacities or a nationwide increase plan for such centers remains elusive in current open data sources [2]. Nevertheless, contextual information can be gleaned from available sources.

As of March 2024, Germany's prison population stood at 43,746, with about 37% being foreigners [1]. It's essential to note that prisons and deportation detention centers are distinct types of facilities, with specific centers designated for immigration detention rather than criminal incarceration.

Despite the lack of concrete data, several German states have announced plans to establish or expand their deportation detention facilities. For instance, Bavaria is planning to establish 100 detention places for men in Passau [11]. Currently, Bavaria has 240 detention places at the locations Eichstätt and Hof [6].

Nationwide, there are twelve deportation detention facilities with a total of around 790 detention places [7]. Büren, North Rhine-Westphalia, has 175 detention places, and there are 80 detention places in Darmstadt, Rhineland-Palatinate [8]. Saxony-Anhalt plans to create 30 detention places in Volkstedt, while Schleswig-Holstein plans to expand its detention facility in Glückstadt to accommodate a maximum of 60 places [9].

The Ministry of Flight and Integration in North Rhine-Westphalia has reported a nationwide increase in demand for detention places for deportation [10]. Similarly, Rhineland-Palatinate will no longer make its deportation detention facilities available to other states [12].

Moreover, North Rhine-Westphalia plans to establish further detention places in a new facility in Mönchengladbach [13]. Thuringia now has its first deportation detention facility with initially ten places, which will be increased to 37 [14].

While the exact occupancy rates of these facilities are not universally available, as of August 5, the detention facility in Büren had 151 deportable persons, corresponding to an occupancy rate of around 86% with a detention capacity of 175 places [4].

Official reports from the German Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) or the individual interior ministries of each federal state are the best sources for the most up-to-date and detailed information on deportation detention centers.

References:

Statista: Prison population in Germany 2000-2024
Open Data Portal: No detailed, state-by-state breakdown of deportation detention facility capacities
Deutsche Welle: Germany to strip rejected asylum seekers of legal support
Die Welt: Büren: Detention facility for deportable persons is almost fully occupied
Deutsche Welle: Germany deports refugees to Afghanistan amid Taliban takeover
BMI: Detention places in Bavaria
BMI: Detention facilities in Germany
BMI: Detention places in Büren and Darmstadt
Schleswig-Holstein: Expansion of the detention facility in Glückstadt
North Rhine-Westphalia: Increase in demand for detention places for deportation
Bavaria: Plans to establish 100 detention places in Passau
Rhineland-Palatinate: No longer making deportation detention facilities available to other states
North Rhine-Westphalia: Plans to establish further detention places in Mönchengladbach
Thuringia: First deportation detention facility with initial ten places