Thuringia’s state government plans to house rejected asylum seekers from designated “safe countries of origin” in centralized reception centers until deportation to prevent them from ‘disappearing’ while awaiting deportation. The plan affects asylum seekers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Ghana, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Senegal, and Serbia. Migration Minister Beate Meissner described it as “an important step towards implementing the core objectives of the state government in the field of migration,” calling it a “turning point in migration policy.”
However, the Thuringia Refugee Council criticized the directive, emphasizing that “the right to asylum is based on individual merit and cannot be prescribed solely on the grounds of someone belonging to a particular country of origin.” The Greens called the move “disrespectful” to asylum rights, while the Left questioned its legality, further advocating for unregulated immigration.
Meanwhile, financial limitations challenge the execution. The central government in Berlin is not willing to fund these projects, despite local governments calling for their need. The right-wing, largest opposition party Alternative for Germany (AfD) already proposed plans of constructing deportation hubs for which they requested €34 million but received no funding from Berlin.
Thuringia remains one of the few German states openly advocating for stricter deportation policies. In February, Meissner supported returns to Afghanistan, stating that certain individuals must be deported to “preserve our constitutional order and protect our population.”
She emphasized the need for “more deportations and fewer excuses for tolerating [failed asylum seekers from Afghanistan],” urging swift federal support. Her remarks followed deadly attacks linked to asylum seekers affiliated with terrorist groups like the Islamic State.
“Rather than repeatedly examining what steps can be taken to extend the stay of illegal immigrants, it is time to apply the law consistently,” she said, insisting that “anyone who has no right to asylum or commits serious crimes must leave our country as quickly as possible.”
