Since March 2020, the deportation center in Pforzheim has not been used to capacity and was even empty at times due to corona-related travel restrictions. According to the Ministry of Justice, the facility is now filling up again - and the number of deportations is also increasing. According to a spokeswoman, 21 detainees awaiting deportation, mostly from Gambia, Tunisia and Algeria, are currently being held there (as of November 30). In total, the facility offers space for 51 people.
The building has been under construction for some time and should then have 79 places. Travel and flight restrictions had led to deportation detainees having to be released during the long Corona months. They may only be detained for a certain period of time and must be released immediately if they cannot be deported.
Overall, the corona pandemic led to a sharp decline in deportations: In 2019, 2,648 people were returned from Baden-Württemberg to their home countries or to the EU country in which they first entered the EU. In 2020 and 2021, on the other hand, there were 1362 and 1328 people respectively - about half as many. In the current year, 1,547 people had to return by the end of November.
The Refugee Council complained that the country had not yet kept the promise made in its coalition agreement of a round table on the subject of detention pending deportation. In addition, the Pforzheim deportation facility, a former youth prison, is still far too reminiscent of a prison. He again referred to a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) according to which migrants should not be housed like prisoners.
The inmates in Pforzheim are also restricted in their religious freedom and access to pastoral care and the visiting hours are too strictly regulated, the refugee council criticized.
It was not until the end of November that the administrative court in Karlsruhe stopped the planned deportation of a man from West African Gambia. The court ruled that the planned so-called chances of residence would open up a perspective for him to stay. The Gambier was in custody pending deportation.
The Bundestag passed the right of residence last Friday. It is intended to offer prospects to well-integrated foreigners who have been living in Germany for several years without a secure status.
Anyone who has lived in the country for five years as of October 31, 2022 and has not committed a crime should have 18 months to meet the requirements for long-term residence. This includes, for example, knowledge of German and securing your own livelihood.
German Bundestag on the right of residence
