Germany is grappling with an unprecedented influx of refugees, as government data reveals that the number of individuals seeking asylum has surged to a historical high. With approximately 3.48 million refugees and asylum seekers residing in the country by mid-2024, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has cautioned that state and federal resources are "almost exhausted." This escalation, largely driven by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, has sparked significant political debate and prompted the German government to implement stricter border controls across the nation. As Germany navigates this complex humanitarian situation, the implications for both policy and societal integration are becoming increasingly critical.
According to Germany’s interior minister State and federal resources are “almost exhausted” as the number of refugees arriving in the country reaches a record high.
Government figures released on Friday say the number of refugees living in Germany had reached a new high this year.
RT reports: Some 3.48 million refugees, asylum seekers, and protected persons were living in Germany at the end of June 2024, according to a response from the federal government to a request by the Left party in the Bundestag. The figure is roughly 60,000 more than at the end of 2023 and more than at any time since the 1950s.
Roughly one-third of these refugees, some 1.18 million, arrived from Ukraine. Their number has increased by around 45,000 compared to the end of 2023, the data shows. The second-largest group is Syrians.
Meanwhile, the number of those set for deportation continued to decline, with some 266,000 recorded as of June 2024, a figure nearly 16,000 below what was recorded at the end of 2023. The decline is reportedly attributable to ramped-up deportation efforts. Still, it is effectively impossible to follow through on some 80% of pending deportations due to the situations in the countries of origin of those set to be expelled, according to the newspaper.
The number of asylum seekers has recently become a contentious point of political debate in Germany and Europe in general.
Last week, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government announced that Germany would bolster border controls for at least six months. Berlin has begun random checks at its borders with France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Denmark, thus expanding the system already in place at its other borders to the entirety of the country’s frontier.
The country has no other choice, as state and federal resources have been “almost exhausted” on refugees and asylum seekers, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told Brussels in a letter, Der Spiegel reported.
Germany has become one of the prime destinations for Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev back in February 2022. The country currently accommodates the most Ukrainian refugees among EU nations, followed by Poland with around 970,000 and the Czech Republic with some 370,000, according to the latest figures from the UN high commissioner for refugees.
This situation highlights Germany's prominent role in European refugee dynamics, particularly in the context of the Ukraine crisis. The increase in refugees, especially from Ukraine and Syria, reflects broader geopolitical tensions and humanitarian needs. Stricter border controls announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government indicate a shift in policy response to manage the growing influx while balancing national resources. The challenges of deportation highlight the complexities of international obligations and the realities faced by countries of origin, complicating Germany's approach to immigration and asylum.
