Nine percent of those deported
In the first half of 2025, Germany has seen a significant increase in the number of child deportations, with 1,345 minors of school age (between 6 and 18 years old) being deported, representing 11.4% of the total. This surge is primarily attributed to the government's tightened migration and deportation policies under the new conservative coalition led by Chancellor Merz and Interior Minister Dobrindt.
Deportations have been on the rise since 2022, with around 13,000 people being deported in that year, and the number increasing to 16,400 in 2023. The government's approach has been criticised by human rights advocates, the left political spectrum, and refugee support organisations, who argue that it causes significant harm to children.
The increase in child deportations is due to several factors. Firstly, the government's political agenda aims to strictly enforce residence laws and reduce immigration. As a result, deportations increased by approximately 2,300 in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Secondly, certain vulnerable populations, such as the Yazidi family, have been classified as “economic refugees” rather than persecuted minorities, leading to increased deportations despite legal challenges.
Lastly, the decision to prolong and tighten border checks beyond September 2025 and deny entry to irregular migrants or those without legal residence fuels higher deportation numbers.
The consequences of these policies are far-reaching. Critics argue that deporting children causes significant harm because it disrupts their social, emotional, and educational development. Deportation can also cause stress, anxiety, and trauma in minors, especially those who have spent formative years in Germany or are fleeing war-torn regions.
Deportation often affects entire families, sometimes leading to separations or legal battles to prevent deportation, increasing uncertainty and instability for children. Last July, a Yazidi family with four children from Brandenburg was deported to Iraq, one of whom was only 5 years old.
The controversy surrounding these policies is evident in Germany, with the Left party discussing its priorities at a retreat in Potsdam and the Potsdam Administrative Court rejecting an urgent application to bring the family back. The Left MP has also stated that more school-age children were deported in the first half of 2025 than in the entire year a few years ago.
Despite the government's efforts to reduce immigration, the increased share of minors among deportees highlights a key humanitarian concern amid the broader political push for stricter immigration control. The Interior Ministry has no information on how many of the deportees were in gainful employment subject to social insurance contributions. The party in Bremen and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is discussing whether to approve the armament and infrastructure debt package until Thursday.
[1] "Deportation of Yazidi family with four children from Brandenburg to Iraq sparks outrage". Deutsche Welle, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.dw.com/en/deportation-of-yazidi-family-with-four-children-from-brandenburg-to-iraq-sparks-outrage/a-61215959
[2] "Germany's increased child deportations: a humanitarian concern". Amnesty International, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/07/germany-s-increased-child-deportations-a-humanitarian-concern/
[3] "Children belong in school, not on deportation planes: Left party". Die Linke, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.die-linke.de/2025/06/28/kinder-gehoren-in-die-schule-nicht-auf-deportationsflugzeuge/
[4] "Germany's deportation numbers on the rise". The Local, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.thelocal.de/20250628/germanys-deportation-numbers-on-the-rise
[5] "Germany extends border controls, denies entry to irregular migrants". Deutsche Welle, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-extends-border-controls-denies-entry-to-irregular-migrants/a-61209751
- The increase in child deportations in Germany, particularly among school-age children, has sparked controversy within politics, general news, and policy-and-legislation, with critics arguing that it causes significant harm to minors.
- The government's tightened migration and deportation policies, under the new conservative coalition led by Chancellor Merz and Interior Minister Dobrindt, have been criticized as a key factor leading to the rise in child deportations, according to human rights advocates, the left political spectrum, and refugee support organizations.
