A large Syrian family from Stuttgart has cost the German state of Baden-Württemberg more than €500,000 in imprisonment and repatriation expenses, according to a response from the state Justice Ministry to a parliamentary inquiry by the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD).
Authorities investigated around 20 family members in connection with approximately 160 criminal offences, the ministry said. In October, 17 members of the family left Germany in what officials described as a “controlled departure.” The costs associated with their exit—including flights, subsidies, and document fees—amounted to €45,228.57.
The ministry said allowing the individuals to remain in Germany would have resulted in significantly higher costs, adding that their departure was considered both the “most economic solution” and the only way to end their stay. According to public broadcaster SWR, the family members held either refugee status or subsidiary protection.
Much higher costs were incurred through earlier prison sentences. Based on a daily incarceration cost of €180, the imprisonment of five family members resulted in expenses of €478,228, according to the ministry’s figures.
Three male relatives remain in custody after injuring three people with a knife during a dispute in summer 2024. One victim was left with life-threatening injuries. In June 2025, a court sentenced the men to several years in prison. Authorities said none has so far indicated a willingness to leave Germany voluntarily after serving their sentences.
The family arrived in Germany between 2015 and 2020 and quickly became known to police. Their criminal record includes attempted murder, bodily injury, theft, and social fraud.
The case comes amid renewed debate over migration and crime in Germany. A 2024 report by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) shows that Syrians and Afghans are recorded as criminal suspects at significantly higher rates than German citizens. Non-German suspects now account for more than 40% of all cases nationwide.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said migrants who integrate and obey the law may remain in Germany, while those who commit crimes risk deportation. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has cautioned that large-scale deportations to Syria remain difficult due to ongoing security concerns, despite the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
