Suspect indicted for stabbing incident at Berlin Holocaust remembrance site
In the heart of Europe, Germany has taken a significant step in its immigration and security policies. After a cautious approach following the 2021 general election, the country has started to implement deportations of Syrian refugees convicted of criminal offenses.
This shift in policy, announced by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt in 2025, is part of a broader strategy to address domestic security concerns and reflects the coalition government's intent to begin deportations to Syria and Afghanistan, starting with criminal convicts.
The German Federal Ministry of the Interior has directed the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) to take action against Syrians deemed a security risk or delinquents. As a result, a considerable increase in deportations has been recorded, with 11,800 forced returns in the first half of 2025.
While formal agreements with Syria are not yet finalized, ongoing dialogues are reported, and deportations to Syria have effectively begun, especially targeting those who have lost asylum status due to criminal convictions.
Meanwhile, Germany is also dealing with a contentious immigration debate, as evidenced by a series of attacks attributed to foreign nationals. One such incident occurred in February 2025, when a 19-year-old suspect, Wassim Al M., seriously injured a 30-year-old man at Berlin's Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The suspect, who arrived in Germany in 2023, held radical Islamist and antisemitic views, aligning with the ideology of the foreign terrorist organization Islamic State (IS).
The attack contributed to the immigration debate prior to Germany's general election, which was won by the centre-right CDU/CSU. Officials have stated that the suspect sent a photo of himself to IS members to allow the group to claim responsibility for the attack. He is currently in pre-trial detention, facing charges for causing serious bodily harm and attempted membership of a foreign terrorist organization.
In a separate development, Taliban envoys are planning to visit Germany to discuss deportations. The exact details of these discussions remain unclear, but they underscore the complexities and challenges faced by Germany in balancing humanitarian considerations with security priorities.
The German Federal Ministry of the Interior's directive to BAMF to deport Syrians deemed a security risk or delinquents is a significant development in the country's broader strategy, which encompasses politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice. This tactic, aimed at addressing domestic security concerns, reflects the coalition government's intent to begin deportations to Syria, particularly targeting criminal convicts.
The ongoing dialogues about formal agreements with Syria, initiated after the increase in forced returns, have expanded the scope of Germany's immigration and security policies, further incorporating elements of general-news and international relations.
