Morocco and Algeria Under Scrutiny: Government Accelerates Migration Policy Reforms
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Cabinet endorses additional changes in immigration policies - Government endorses additional alterations in immigration regulations
In a swift move, the coalition cabinet, led by the Union, has initiated a change in migration policy, focusing on designating countries as safe origin sites for asylum seekers. The proposal, originating from the Interior Ministry, aims to grant the federal government the authority to legally classify these countries, without requiring approval from the Bundesrat.
Previously, such administrative changes were opposed by states with green and left-wing representation. This new decision, pending approval from the Bundestag, seeks to expedite asylum decisions for individuals from these designated countries and facilitate the expulsion of rejected asylum seekers.
"Expediting the asylum turnaround" is the goal, according to Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), who addressed MPs following the cabinet meeting. Vecsinho, his interrogation before the Interior Committee about the border rejections of asylum seekers he initiated, stirred a buzz among politicians.
Countries Under Scrutiny: The Maghreb states
The reform under consideration by the cabinet will expedite asylum decisions for individuals from designated countries and facilitate the removal of rejected asylum seekers. Additional countries may be designated through legal regulation, as many nations are not covered by the right to asylum set forth in Germany's Basic Law, a privilege granted to a limited number of asylum seekers. The majority of asylum seekers receiving protection in Germany are protected either by refugee status or the less comprehensive "subsidiary protection" for those facing grave danger in their home country.
No More State-Appointed Lawyers
The cabinet has decided to dismantle a provision requiring people subject to deportation or removal to have a state-appointed lawyer. Introduced during the Green-led traffic light government, this requirement only applied to asylum seekers forced to transfer to another EU state under the "Dublin procedure," as well as those for whom a "transfer detention" was ordered.
Limited Family Reunions, No Early Naturalization
As per the current plan, family reunification for those with subsidiary protection status will be suspended in the first reading, slated for this Friday. Unlike refugees, this restriction does not apply to those with limited protection status.
Additionally, the cabinet has approved the acceleration of naturalization for well-integrated foreigners after just three years. The "turbo-naturalization" rule, originally introduced by the traffic light coalition, has long been a point of contention for the Union. Their argument: Quick assimilation is unrealistic.
Rejection of Asylum Seekers
Despite a recent court ruling declaring the rejection of three Somali asylum seekers at a border control station in Frankfurt (Oder) on May 9 to be unlawful, the government has continued the practice of denying asylum seekers entry at Germany's borders.
Minister Dobrindt maintains that federal police officers will not be held responsible for their actions at the border. He dismisses concerns about potential legal repercussions, characterizing them as baseless.
Irene Mihalic, the parliamentary managing director of the Green Party, pushes back against Dobrindt's assertion, emphasizing that police officers are bound by law and justice, rather than politics.
In response to Dobrindt's claims that the three Somalis did not apply for asylum during their initial attempts to enter Germany, Clara Bünger, the Left's interior policy spokeswoman, suggests that the migrants had in fact expressed their intent to seek asylum during those attempts.
Since Dobrindt's order on May 7, around 140 asylum seekers have been rejected, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The Interior spokesman for the Greens, Marcel Emmerich, has criticized the border blockade, considering it costly symbolic politics that jeopardizes the economy, commuters, federal police, and asylum seekers.
[1] NDR, "Sicherheitsfrieden Nord mit Deutschem 'Ortsausschluss'", [2] ARD, "Sieben Südstaaten sollen sicherer Land werden"](https://www.ard.de/nachrichten/innenpolitik/sieben-suedstaaten-koennten-sicherere-laender-werden,le2h8cgi), [3] Politico, "Inside Merz's Bold Effort to Tighten German Immigration Policy"](https://www.politico.eu/article/merzs-immigration-policy-extremes-right-germany/), [4] Spiegel, "Innenminister erlaubt 'Quotenverschub'"](https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/innenminister-erlaubt-quotenverschub-a-4ae239a9-4223-4ac5-9a68-7fe85f2cf75d), [5] Tagesspiegel, "Berliner Verwaltungsgericht lehnt Durchsuchung von Flüchtlingen am Grenzbahnhof in Frankfurt (Oder) ab"](https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/berliner-verwaltungsgericht-lehnt-durchsuchung-von-fluechtlingen-am-grenzbahnhof-in-frankfurt-oder-ab/26861990.html)
- The European Council (EC) is deliberating on the impact of the proposed migration policy reforms in EC countries, particularly those authored by Germany's Interior Ministry, given the political ramifications in the realm of policy-and-legislation and general news.
- As a consequence of Germany's migration policy changes, many Maghreb states are under scrutiny, with the potential for more countries to be designated as safe origin sites for asylum seekers in the future, thereby expediting asylum decisions and facilitating the removal of rejected asylum seekers.
