Asylum-seekers and illegal immigration

One of Germany‘s Basic Laws is the right of people who suffer political persecution to be given political asylum. Until the 1980s , relatively few refugees took advantage of this provision but in the second half of the decade more and more refugees from Iran and the Lebanon and later from the former Yugoslavia made their way to Germany.

From 1986 to 1992 about 1.5 mio. people sought refuge in Germany. The number of asylum-seekers, however, has decreased to no more than 30,000 in the lastyears. General hardship –such as poverty, civil wars, natural disasters or unemployment – has been excluded from the reasons justifying the granting of asylum. Another reason for the lower numbers of asylum seekers is the fact that only 5 % of the applicants were granted political asylum and were thus protected from deportation.

Only 25 % of them were given temporarary protection (Duldung). This policy has reduced the number of asylum-seekers by nearly two thirds in the last few years Germany applies the „safe third country“ rule very strictly and belongs to the country with the most restrictive immigration laws. The exclusion of civil war refugees from asylum made it increasingly difficult for those needing protection to lodge an asylum application in Germany.

If, despite the obstacles asylum- seekers nevertheless manage to make it to Germany, they face further deterrents. This include the rapid deportation proceedings at German airports and the setting of welfare support for asylum- seekers to 30% below the standard rate while at the same time prohibiting them from working. In some cases families who have been living in Germany for many years were sent back back to their home countries were there were still facing persecution.

No wonder that many people fleeing their homeland try to come to Germany illegally. Up to one million people are estimated to be living illegally in this country. These are people who overstay their visas, visited relatives and never returned or asylum-seekers who go underground after their application has been rejected. Without documents and registration papers, most migrants are cut off from even the most basic of services such as health care or education for their children.

The main problem for many illegals is a clause in the German immigration law which makes it compulsory for public institutions such as schools and hospitals to pass on information about illegal immigrants to social service offices. Unlike countries like Great Britain, German doesn‘t offer amnesties to legalize their living conditions. One phrase that illustrates the situation in Germany is that „ illegals never use public transport illegally“- in case they may be caught ( and then sent home)

Reporter‘s File