Migration Pact and CEAS: New start in EU refugee policy (???)

dossier

"... The EU has been struggling and struggling with its rules for asylum and migration since the refugee crisis of 2015 at the latest. (...) The discussion has now shifted. Important actors such asFederal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) is paying more attention to the EU's external borders. The idea: People are subjected to an asylum procedure or a so-called preliminary examination there, and the applications are processed in an accelerated manner. Rejected applicants would be deported immediately. With regard to the admission of other people, i.e. those entitled to protection, alternatives have long been discussed, such as states that are unwilling to accept them, such as Hungary, paying money. “Developing countries, in turn, could hope for EU payments so that they can take their citizens back more quickly and improve their prospects…” Article by Phillipp Saure from June 19, 2020 in Migazin , see below:

• 100 days of CEAS: deterrence, pressure and legal violations – but “This agenda has a long tradition” (Maximilian Pichl)
  • 100 days of CEAS: deterrence, pressure and legal violations
    “100 days ago, on June 12, 2026, the reorganization of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) came into force in the EU and in all member states. PRO ASYL uses the 100 days as an opportunity for an initial classification. It becomes clear: Germany is concerned with maximum toughness.In a new policy paper, PRO ASYL takes stock: German lawmakers have largely used the available leeway to the detriment of those seeking protection. Individual regulations go beyond the mandatory requirements of EU law."The findings from the first 100 days of CEAS are alarming: those seeking protection are isolated, complex persecution stories are examined at a rapid pace and special protection needs are overlooked. There is a lack of independent advice, while people are held in prison-like conditions. This leads to wrong decisions and legal violations. This is politically desired deterrence," explains Helen Rezene, Managing Director of PRO ASYL…”Press release from September 21, 2026 
  • Migration as an enemy: “This agenda has a long tradition”
    “Democracy is more than the rule of the majority, says law professor Maximilian Pichl. He explains what it has to do with refugee protection in Europe. (…)
    Maximilian Pichl: Around the world, we are observing how authoritarian actors are trying to redefine democracy: as enforcing the will of the majority. What democracy actually means is of course constantly being renegotiated. But it's not completely divorced from history either. And in Germany we have a specific, rule-based form of democracy that differs from the Nazi regime. German democracy not only favors a supposed majority, but also provides structural protection mechanisms for minorities. In this respect, the defense of refugee rights is also a defense of our democracy. (…)
    The gap between the population and those eligible to vote in Germany is drifting ever further apart. The fact that citizenship is still the key to democratic participation does not fit into a post-migrant society. So there are actual deficits in our democratic model - but the extreme right completely reinterprets them. (…)
    In Rostock-Lichtenhagen, German society has withdrawn solidarity from the refugees who were attacked. But Michel Friedman and Ignatz Bubis, then president of the Central Council of Jews, drove to the site of the pogrom. Many people couldn't understand that. The two were asked: What did you do there? It wasn't Jews who were affected, but refugees and Vietnamese contract workers. But for them it was about solidarity. Friedman and Bubis understood what many others still do not understand today: that an attack on the right to protection is a fundamental attack on democracy and the human rights of all. (…)
    This populist debate about migration has far-reaching consequences. Also on dishes, for example. The European Court of Human Rights, for example, banned pushbacks from Italy to Libya in a key decision in 2012. But since 2015 the jurisprudence has changed and the interests of nation states have gained more weight compared to the human rights of refugees. But you cannot simply relativize human rights for a certain group. You should really look at which rights are under scrutiny in order to understand the extent of the danger…”Interview by Dinah Riese from September 19, 2026 in the taz online with Maximilian Pichl
• Frankfurt Airport as a test laboratory for the new border procedures: two women seeking protection are threatened with deportation
  "Two Somali women report experiencing genital mutilation and other severe violence. Nevertheless, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) rejected their asylum applications in the new asylum procedure at the border as "obviously unfounded"; Their urgent applications were also unsuccessful. The cases show how quickly people in particular need of protection can fall through the protective grid during border procedures. Both women remain under detention conditions at Frankfurt Airport; Their procedures are now being continued as return border procedures. (…) "The two cases clearly show what is at stake with the new border procedures. If even women who have experienced genital mutilation, rape and forced marriage are not recognized as particularly in need of protection, the vulnerability protection will be in vain. This is by no means an inevitable consequence of the Common European Asylum System. But at Frankfurt Airport the new procedures are being applied at the expense of those who need special protection. Complex cases of gender-specific violence do not belong in an accelerated procedure under prison conditions, but in a fair, regular asylum procedure. (…) One of the women described in the asylum procedure that she was genitally mutilated as a child, later raped, forced into marriage and abused in the marriage. Her father, who wanted to help her leave the marriage, was killed by her husband. Despite these circumstances, the BAMF and the administrative court denied any continued risk of persecution Foundling.According to her description, she was exposed to exclusion, insults and violence as a child. As a single woman without family protection structures, she is particularly at risk in Somalia. A medical certificate also documents genital mutilation. There is also a risk that she could suffer genital mutilation again if she returns. Her statements about the medical examination during the screening process at the airport are particularly serious: it lasted less than a minute, there was no interpreter and no anamnesis. The doctor didn't say a word to her, but only to an accompanying federal police officer. The doctor only shared the results of the examination with the police officer. Both women are represented by lawyers with the support of the PRO ASYL legal aid fund. PRO ASYL demands: both asylum applications be examined with full consideration of the gender-specific risks of persecution; to allow women to enter the country and to end restrictions on freedom in transit areas; to ensure institutionalized, independent and asylum legal advice at Frankfurt Airport; to carry out medical examinations of those affected by gender-specific violence in a professional, trauma-sensitive manner and with qualified language mediation.” Press release from Pro Asyl dated September 4, 2026 
  • See also:Deportation report from Frankfurt Airport: Blatant problems
• Leaflet from GewAntifa: The “Common European Asylum System” under German leadership
  “The murderous isolation and deportation policy is being massively tightened in the direction of granting asylum “not for a minute”! – Develop and strengthen solidarity!
  It is about the following: Accompanied by numerous Nazi murders, which were and are directed against refugees, the basic right to asylum has been effectively abolished in Germany and the EU since the 1990s and transformed into a “right to defend against asylum”. The truly murderous record is shown devastatingly by the over 30,000 drowned refugees between 2014 and 2023 alone.
  But all of this is apparently not enough. It is about enormous tightening of laws and the expansion of the entire state system of isolation and deportations, which is to be further “perfected” with “CEAS” and the “repatriation system”. Refugees should, if possible, be rejected at the EU's external borders, without a procedure worthy of the name. A much larger number than before are to be deported, including to countries with which they have nothing to do and where they are to be held without any rights. As is the case today within the EU, especially on Greek islands, refugees should be brought as quickly as possible to extremely inhumane internment camps outside the EU and held there, with almost no rights and without any prospects. The state's “Realpolitik” essentially agrees with what the AfD announces and demands: “Not a minute” of residence rights for refugees in Germany and the EU.
  This is actually the biggest tightening of asylum laws in 30 years. But there are currently only a few voices and initiatives that are protesting against this and standing in solidarity with the refugees. This is the bitter reality that Antifas, Antiras and progressive trade unionists cannot accept.
  The 4-page leaflet also reports on the hunger strike by refugees in June 2026 in the Glückstadt deportation prison…”Leaflet from August 2026 from GewAntifa – Trade unionists and Antifa together against stupidity and reaction
• From June 12th, GEAS will be the most comprehensive tightening of asylum law in Germany and across the EU in 30 years - the fight for the rights of refugees continues! 
  • “The asylum system is no different than a prison”: The CEAS reform and its consequences for people on the run
    “On June 12, 2026, the new Common European Asylum System (CEAS), adopted two years ago, came into force. Five days later, the European Parliament passed the new return regulation. In the future, it will allow so-called deportation centers in third countries - a decision that members of the extreme right celebrated with chants of “Send them back”. The strategy of preserving Europe's basic liberal values ​​internally through a tougher migration policy at the external borders has apparently not worked. Lars Springfeld classifies the CEAS reform based on the analysis of the lawyer and migration researcher Maximilian Pichl and asks what consequences it has for people seeking protection in Europe.”Audio contribution by Lars Springfeld from July 12th, 2026 in the south north radio of iz3w with the script of the audio contribution
  • What changes with Geas: More control, less protection for refugees
    “The new Common European Asylum System (GEAS) comes into force on Friday. It brings screening, border procedures and more expedited decisions. Families with children can also end up in special facilities. Critics warn of prison-like conditions and less legal protection…”Contribution by Marlene Brey from June 11th, 2026 in Migazin 
  • GEAS starts: FAQ on the most important aspects of the European asylum reform
    FAQ from June 10, 2026 at Pro Asyl 
  • PRO ASYL at the start of GEAS: The fight for the rights of refugees continues!
    "From June 12th, the reformed Common European Asylum System (CEAS) will apply in Germany and across the EU. The most comprehensive tightening of asylum law in 30 years includes, among other things, accelerated asylum procedures, more restrictions on freedom and detention. The Dublin system will remain in place and will be subject to further tightening. The new solidarity mechanism threatens to remain ineffective…”Press release from June 11, 2026 
    • “CEAS Travel” – The EU country of no entry
      Satirical flyer at PRO ASYL on the introduction of the Common European Asylum System in June 2026
  • “Solidarity without frontière” on the entry into force of the new Common European Asylum System (CEAS)
    “Today, June 12, 2026, the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) comes into force. This continues a political transformation process in which authoritarian, racist and undemocratic politics are being implemented in Europe. From then on, many rights for those seeking protection and migrants will no longer apply. Conservatives in Europe are now taking over the positions of right-wing extremists.
    With the CEAS, the asylum and legal process rights of refugees and thus the jurisprudence, the courts and ultimately the rule of law itself are being intensively attacked. This makes access to court proceedings impossible, more difficult and time limits shortened. According to the CEAS, refugees can be detained more quickly and for longer…”Press release from June 12, 2026 from Aktion Bleiberecht Freiburg – active in the three-country network
• GEAS Adaptation Act: maximum severity against refugees 
  "Like all EU member states, the federal government is obliged to implement the CEAS reform adopted at Union level by June 12, 2026. In doing so, it has exhausted the scope for implementation granted to it to the detriment of refugees. There is a risk of disenfranchisement, imprisonment (even of children) and blocked paths to the right to asylum…”Press release from Pro Asyl from June 1st, 2026
• EU deportation rate rises to record high – PRO ASYL is preparing lawsuits against the EU asylum pact GEAS
  • PRO ASYL is preparing lawsuits against the EU asylum pact GEAS
    "In times of increasing attacks on human rights and refugee protection, the rule of law and the rights of refugees must be defended. The PRO ASYL network emphasizes this and announces that in the future it will also take action in court against the tightening of the EU Asylum Pact (CEAS). "We counter the attacks consciously, consistently and in solidarity. We fight for the right to protection, a life in dignity and happiness. We identify violations of the law, defend protection rights, support those affected, create publicity and take action “We are against any policy that relies on deterrence, exclusion and degradation,” says the Schmerlenbach Declaration on Refugee Protection, adopted on Friday. In view of the massive dismantling of refugee rights, it continues: "We refuse to accept the disenfranchisement of those seeking protection as the new normal. We object to a policy that accepts suffering and death at the borders and sells the erosion of law as an ability to act. Legal binding is not an obstacle. Refugee protection is not an act of mercy, but a legal, political and moral obligation." A frontal attack on European and German refugee law is the new Common European Asylum System (CEAS), which will be applied in the EU member states from June 12th. (…) Halima Gutale, chairwoman of the federal working group PRO ASYL, announces: "We are prepared. We document violations of the law, defend fundamental rights, support those affected, create publicity and will take legal action against human rights violations as a result of the implementation of the CEAS in national and international courts.This policy of deterrence, exclusion and degradation must be stopped.” (…) To kick off the anniversary year, more than 60 members of the federal working group PRO ASYL met in Schmerlenbach from April 22nd to 24th. Together with international guests from the USA and Greece, the participants discussed the attacks on human rights, refugee rights and the rule of law and developed effective strategies for action.” Press release from April 27, 2026 from Pro Asyl , for details of Pro Asyl's position see theSchmerlenbacher declaration of April 24, 2026
  • Criticism from churches and Pro Asyl: EU deportation rate rises to record high
    "... In the European Union, according to EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, more than a quarter of those required to leave the country were deported last year. Their proportion has risen to 28 percent, the Austrian Commissioner told "Welt am Sonntag". This is “the highest value so far this decade,” explained the politician from the conservative ÖVP. In absolute numbers, according to Brunner, 491,000 people were required to leave the country in 2025, of which around 135,000 were repatriated. According to the information, in 2024 the proportion of deportees among those required to leave the country was 24 percent; in absolute numbers at that time there were 112,040 people. (…) In his own words, Brunner is not yet satisfied with the figures for 2025. The current rules for deporting so-called “irregular” people in the EU “simply do not work well enough,” said the responsible EU Commissioner. He called it “all the more important” that the so-called repatriation regulation should now be passed quickly. (…) The General Secretary of the Commission of Churches for Migrants in Europe, Torsten Moritz, expressed sharp criticism of the return regulation. The planned measures are “expensive, ineffective and undermine rights,” Moritz told the Evangelical Press Service (epd). In the end there is a risk of “a symbolic policy of harshness – and little actual effect”. According to the political scientist, the regulation ignores reality. In many cases, the state itself knows that deportation is not possible, for example because those affected are in danger in their country of origin or lack the necessary papers. “Anyone who cannot be repatriated cannot be repatriated even with stricter rules,” said Moritz.According to him, tightening measures such as more frequent detentions can even be counterproductive because those affected evade the procedure and go into hiding. (…) Great doubts were expressed about the rule of law (…) Pro Asyl. The refugee aid organization announced on Saturday that it was documenting violations of the law, defending fundamental rights and supporting those affected...” Article by Susanne Rochholz from April 26, 2026 in MiGAZIN 
• EU asylum pact CEAS: Federal Council approves tougher procedures from June
  “The Federal Council has decided on the German implementation of the GEAS. From June 2026, new border procedures, more Dublin pressure and possible secondary migration centers will take effect - while the next tightening of deportation policy is already being prepared in Brussels...”Article by Anne-Béatrice Clasmann from March 29, 2026 in Migazin 
• Right-wing majority in the EU Parliament votes for deportation centers under the European Return Regulation: a frontal attack on the rights of those seeking protection
  • Right-wing majority in the EU Parliament votes for deportation centers: plans violate human rights
    "...Over 250 civil society organizations and the EU Fundamental Rights Agency registered serious concerns about the planned return regulation a year ago. UN special rapporteurs, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights expressed serious reservations under international law just a few weeks ago, recalled Amnesty International. "Politically, this is a normalization of right-wing extremist positions, which are primarily of a symbolic nature because they cannot be implemented in fact," said Constantin Hruschka, migration lawyer and professor of social law at the EH Freiburg, told LTO. “Legally, the foundations can be created, but with regard to the return hubs and the expansion of detention pending deportation, they are a violation of human rights.” According to Hruschka, the return hubs are at least questionable in terms of human rights. They are prisons, so the conditions of deprivation of liberty must apply. The guidelines of the ECHR and the ECJ are clear on these questions: Detention is only permitted if a prompt deportation is also possible. “Anything else is a form of detention, and that is illegal according to international jurisprudence,” said the migration lawyer. These would be violations of the right to freedom under Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and Article 6 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. “Politically, there is obviously the idea that people without a residence permit have no rights - but every deportation must also take place in safety and dignity,” emphasizes Hruschka. States are not allowed to do certain things, even if people are not cooperative.(…) The Federal Constitutional Court also recently made it clear that detention pending deportation is also subject to the judge's discretion. Without a court order, this detention is unlawful. However, the return regulation currently stipulates that authorities should also be able to order this. This would not be compatible with the constitution in Germany. Hruschka recalls that the 2008 return directive was described by critics as a “directive of shame” because it exhausted the human rights requirements. The ECJ then made it even more compatible with human rights. “But if things become more stringent now,” says Hruschka, “the human rights standards will be fallen short of.” According to the EU, a first round of negotiations on the return regulation should take place shortly.” Report from March 26, 2026 from and at LTO and to that:
  • Resolution of the European Return Regulation: Frontal attack on the rights of those seeking protection
    "Today the EPP group and the extreme right in the European Parliament passed the new return regulation. The vote was preceded by agreements (WhatsApp chat groups and personal meetings) between representatives of the EPP group and the extreme right in the European Parliament. These agreements were met with massive criticism. (...) Karl Kopp, managing director of PRO ASYL, says: "The EPP has the return regulation together with parties of the extreme right This is a frontal attack on the rights of those seeking protection - and a dangerous signal for the European project. Anyone who acts like this is once again crossing a red line and tearing down the firewall against enemies of democracy and opponents of Europe. The return regulation that has now been passed is unacceptable in terms of human rights. The planned deportation centers (return hubs) in third countries outside the European Union, including for families with children, as well as the planned expansion of detention pending deportation are particularly serious. Action today: Today, representatives of several civil society organizations, including PRO ASYL, formed a red line in front of the CDU party headquarters in Berlin, calling on the Union parties and the EPP not to cross this red line (coordinated cooperation with the extreme right) again. The people dressed in red formed this red line in front of a symbolic firewall, labeled with basic rights.” Press statement from Pro Asyl dated March 26, 2026 with link to the photos of the campaign and before:
  • Broad social alliance appeals to CDU/CSU parties and EPP: No cooperation with the extreme right in the European Parliament
    "In an open letter to the chairmen of the CDU, CSU and the EPP parliamentary group, 188 organizations call on the Union parties and the European People's Party to rule out any cooperation with the extreme right in the European Parliament. (...) The signatories see this as a break with the demarcation from the extreme right that has been repeatedly emphasized by the EPP, CDU and CSU. The letter says: "We urgently remind you of your own promises: keep them democratic principles – for the sake of Europe and with a view to domestic political challenges.” (…) Together with almost 200 organizations, including the AWO Federal Association, the Paritätischer Gesamtverband, the New Association of Judges, the Republican Lawyers' Association (RAV), Save the Children Germany and Terre des Hommes, PRO ASYL is calling on the EPP to send a clear signal in the plenary session on Thursday, March 26th. The signatories appeal to the EPP as well as the CDU and CSU to ensure a binding demarcation from the extreme right at the European level, to stop pursuing the draft return regulation in its current form and to return to negotiations with the democratic factions...” Press release from Pro Asyl from March 25, 2026 for theOpen letter and call for action “We are the red line”: Thursday, March 26th, 9 a.m., in front of the CDU headquarters in Berlin
• PRO ASYL and Amnesty International and many more called unheard MPs to reject the harsh CEAS implementation law on February 27th. on
  “The German Bundestag plans to pass the CEAS Adaptation Act tomorrow. PRO ASYL and Amnesty International appeal to MPs not to approve the law in its current form. Both organizations warn of fundamental human rights violations and call for a revision of the law that respects human rights and, in particular, protects the freedom of movement of those seeking protection. 
  The focus of the draft is to create new secondary migration centers for refugees before the asylum procedure (Dublin cases) and for refugees who are already recognized in other member states, as well as new bans on leaving reception centers, expanded detention during asylum procedures and the comprehensive implementation of border procedures - all well beyond the level required by the EU. The detention of those seeking protection is changing from the exception to the rule, although a state may only restrict people's freedom of movement in exceptional cases. "Much of what is now to be put into law in Germany has existed as a blueprint in Greece for years. Now aspects from the EU Aegean laboratory are also threatening Germany: disenfranchisement, isolation and despair…”Press release from February 26, 2026 (PRO ASYL and Amnesty International call on MPs to reject the CEAS implementation law)
  • Bundestag votes for restrictive asylum policy
    “New migration centers, detention for asylum seekers: Germany is implementing the European asylum reform with strict new regulations. Critics warn of human rights violations. (…) At the final debate in parliament, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) defended the reform. “What we have pushed forward at the national level with control, course and a clear edge, we are now continuing at the European level with cooperation, consistency and clarity,” said Dobrindt. “The European Union has been suffering for years because there is no longer a coordinated migration policy.” The Geas reform is the solution to this and will bring order to migration policy…”Agency breaking news from February 27, 2026 in Zeit online 
  • “Strictest measure”. Organizations: German implementation of EU asylum reform too hard
    “On Friday, the Bundestag is expected to decide on the German implementation of the European asylum reform. Human rights organizations are outraged by the plans, which go well beyond what is required. The strictest measures would become the rule…”Article from February 26, 2026 in Migazin 
  • [Questions and answers] EU asylum reform: This is how it is implemented in Germany
    “The EU states have to implement the EU asylum reform into national law by the summer. The Bundestag will finally discuss the new rules in the German asylum system on Friday. What is it about? What is decided? The most important questions and answers…”FAQ from Corinna Buschow from February 26, 2026 in Migazin 
  • See our dossier for the example mentioned:Greek migration policy (with Syriza – and successors)
• [Return Regulation] EU deportation plan risks ICE-like measures, warn 75 human rights groups 
  “The crackdown on undocumented people could lead to house searches, surveillance and racial profiling, 75 organizations say.
  EU deportation plan risks ICE-like measures, human rights groups warn
  More than 70 human rights organizations have called on the EU to reject a proposal to increase deportations of undocumented people, warning that it could turn everyday spaces, public services and human interactions into tools of immigration control modeled on the US immigration agency ICE.
  In March last year, the European Commission presented its proposal to increase deportations of people without legal residence in the EU, including possible transfer to offshore centers in non-EU countries.
  The draft enforcement regulation, which has yet to be approved by MEPs, follows the far right's gains in the 2024 European Parliament elections.
  In a joint statement released on Monday, 75 human rights organizations from across Europe said the plans, if approved, could lead to an expansion and normalization of anti-immigrant raids and surveillance measures across the continent, while increasing racial profiling.
  The plans “would entrench a penal system fueled by far-right rhetoric and based on racist suspicion, denunciation, detention and deportation,” the statement said. “Europe knows from its own history where systems of surveillance, blame and control can lead.” (…)
  Monday's statement highlighted the far-reaching nature of the proposed measures, including plans to allow police to search private homes and "other relevant premises" for undocumented residents without a warrant.
  The result could be “ICE-like raids” on private homes as well as public spaces and workplaces, said Michele LeVoy of the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants. “We cannot be outraged by ICE in the United States while supporting these practices in Europe.”
  The proposal could also require public services to report undocumented migrants, which would likely prevent many people from accessing essential health, education and social services. (…)
  At the end of January, 16 UN legal experts wrote to the EU regarding the proposed regulation. The 19-page letter lists more than a dozen concerns about how the plans could violate international human rights obligations. (…)
  On Monday, the signatories of the statement echoed the UN's concerns and pointed to planned measures that would include the mass collection of personal data and the facilitation of the exchange of that data between police authorities in the EU.
  Statewatch's Alamara Khwaja Bettum said: "Increased surveillance, policing and racial profiling will only fuel racism and far-right tendencies - rather than curb migration. If adopted, these proposed measures will undermine the most basic civil liberties and have catastrophic consequences. That is the real threat we should focus on tackling.”…” EnglishArticle by Ashifa Kassam from February 16th. in the Guardian online (machine translated) via:
  • Joint statement condemning EU law enabling home raids, policing of public services and racial profiling(Joint declaration condemning EU law that allows home searches, surveillance of public services and racial profiling)
    “The EU must withdraw all provisions expanding and normalizing immigration raids and surveillance measures under the proposed deportation regulation (“Return Regulation”). A statement signed by Statewatch and 87 other organizations warns of the real and imminent danger posed by proposals aimed at legitimizing ICE-like measures to enforce immigration laws across the EU…” the English.Statement on February 16, 2026 at Statewatch 
  • See also the dossier on the return regulation:One anti-refugee deal after another: Germany and the EU and their “migration partnerships”and especially the dossier:EU Return Directive: Pro Asyl warns against “widespread detention” of refugees
• Detention of minors too, curfews lasting months... If the German GEAS adaptation law is even harsher than the original 
  • The member states must apply the EU asylum reform CEAS in the middle of the year - black and red agree on maximum strictness in social benefits and imprisonment
    “…The black-red coalition has struggled for a long time to implement it into German law. Now there is a compromise: secondary migration centers, social benefits at a minimum and imprisonment.
    The Union and the SPD have agreed on a compromise on asylum policy. According to information from coalition circles, on the one hand this provides for more restrictions for those seeking protection, but on the other hand it also provides faster access to the labor market for asylum seekers.The Union parliamentary group's domestic policy spokesman, Alexander Throm, told the German Press Agency: "Last year, half of the asylum seekers who came to Germany would have had to stay in another member state according to EU law." It is therefore non-negotiable for the Union to stop the onward travel of asylum seekers in Europe. In order to make progress here, “we are now introducing so-called secondary migration centers where those affected will stay until they are transferred back”. At the same time, social benefits for this group would be reduced to a minimum.“In general, we are now introducing the new option of detention for asylum procedures for all asylum seekers, for example if there is a risk that the person will go into hiding,” added the CDU politician. (…)
    “Spiegel” wrote that, in addition to the introduction of the centers, the compromise also stipulates that people undergoing asylum procedures should have significantly faster access to the labor market. Accordingly, three months instead of six months should be sufficient in the future. Health care for refugee children should also be improved, the magazine writes…”Report from February 1st, 2026 in Migazin (“Black-Red agrees on maximum strictness”)
  • The CEAS Adaptation Act leads to serious but unnecessary tightening
    “The reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) will come into force in 2026. The new CEAS contains massive restrictions and undermines legal protection for refugees. Parliament and the government are currently negotiating the specific implementation in Germany. However, with the GEAS Adaptation Act, the federal government has also chosen a way to implement the GEAS in a very restrictive way. However, this is by no means mandatory under European law.
    As legal and civil rights organizations, we strongly demand from the members of the German Bundestag that the European requirements be translated into German law in accordance with fundamental rights. To this end, some measures from the previous draft law should also be deleted in the current negotiations.
    “Reception facilities to carry out procedures in the event of secondary migration” are to be created. These facilities are intended in particular to facilitate the so-called Dublin procedure, i.e. enable transfers to other EU member states. In these camps, those affected are subject to strict housing requirements that interfere with their freedom of movement and cut them off from access to legal advice or appropriate medical care, which is actually guaranteed by fundamental rights. (…)
    As legal organizations, we look with great concern at the escalating interference with freedom of movement and the expansion of deprivation of liberty (imprisonment) that accompanies the CEAS Adaptation Act. In Germany, for example, the detention of minors is planned if this is in “their best interests”. This case should therefore arise if the parents or carers are in custody. However, imprisoning children is obviously a violation of children's rights. (…)
    The German Bundestag should therefore make constitutional and human rights corrections in the final negotiations and put the proposals to the test as a whole.”Joint declaration of December 8, 2025 at the RAV (“CEAS Adaptation Act leads to serious but unnecessary tightening”) also from the Humanist Union (HU), Committee for Fundamental Rights and Democracy, New Judges Association (NRV) and Association of Democratic Lawyers (VDJ) – see also:
  • PRO ASYL on today's decision by the Bundestag on the abolition of the compulsory lawyer in detention pending deportation and the classification of so-called safe countries of origin by legal ordinance
    "Almost casually, the Bundestag passed two very problematic regulations today. By designating supposedly safe countries of origin by legal regulation of the Federal Government, a legislative process is intentionally bypassed, even though it is constitutionally required. A democratic and public discussion is intended to be prevented, although every new determination of safe countries of origin restricts the right to a fair asylum procedure for the people concerned. By abolishing the mandatory lawyer in deportation detention, the government is also contributing to a long-standing scandal for our constitutional state "Encouragement: mass illegal detention pending deportation," criticizes Wiebke Judith, legal policy spokeswoman for PRO ASYL, who has already spoken on this issue as an expert in the Interior Committee." Comment from Pro Asyl from December 5, 2025 for theBill 
  • See also “States of origin, compulsory assistance, naturalization ban: Bundestag decides to tighten asylum law” in the dossier:What does “safe country of origin” actually mean?
• “Frontal attack on those seeking protection” and “de facto detention”. GEAS reform: New German toughness
  “The federal government is planning curfews in facilities, sometimes lasting months, for refugees for whom another country is responsible. Criticism also comes from the SPD.
  So far, without much media attention, the coalition factions are currently discussing a significant tightening of German asylum policy. It is about the national implementation of the CEAS, the largest European asylum reform in 30 years, which was decided by the EU last summer and must now be implemented by the member states. The plans for German implementation are explosive and go far beyond what the EU stipulates to the Federal Republic. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) calls it “more harshness and sharpness”. Critics say it is a “frontal attack on those seeking protection” and “de facto imprisonment”. The legislative plans have the potential to trigger the next major coalition dispute - and noticeably tighten the way asylum seekers are treated in Germany…" OneAnalysis by Kaja Klapsa on November 5, 2025 in Zeit online (“GEAS Reform: New German Toughness”)
• Right to asylum in danger: Stop linguistic and legal repression against refugees!
  "All state refugee councils and PRO ASYL warn: Discriminatory rhetoric regarding escape and asylum creates a basis for increasing disenfranchisement. Threatening imprisonment of children and families by GEAS, push-backs at German borders and planned deportations to Afghanistan and Syria testify to a disinhibition that must be stopped as quickly as possible. There needs to be a return to the Geneva Refugee Convention - for the preservation of universal human rights FOR ALL! "What is becoming increasingly visible “Derogatory rhetoric and actual disenfranchisement go hand in hand. Right-wing populist statements are not just symbolic, but have a direct impact on the lives of many people. The numerous tightening of the law and increasingly brutal deportation practices do not offer any solutions to the actual challenges in the country,” says Tareq Alaows, refugee policy spokesman for PRO ASYL. Anyone who wants to “improve” the cityscape through more deportations not only strengthens diffuse fears and racist narratives, but also negates the fact that refugees have long been part of our society. “Merz doesn't look at people's residence status, so refugees generally disturb him in the cityscape - this is not a chancellor who creates social peace, but rather specifically excludes people because of their appearance,” says Nour Al Zoubi from the Thuringia Refugee Council. (…)
  “It is pure cynicism when the federal government declares that months of detention serve the ‘best interests of the child’. The opposite is the case: it creates new trauma and contradicts the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,” says Annika Kristeit from the Rhineland-Palatinate Refugee Council. That is why UNICEF warns that the detention of minors must be excluded by law and must never be based on their migration status. The basis for these inhumane plans is also the rhetorical devaluation of those seeking protection. (…) “While, on the one hand, refugees are increasingly being declared a threat, on the other hand, deadly conflicts in Syria or cooperation with the Taliban are being trivialized,” says Aicha El-Saleh from the Hamburg Refugee Council. Just a few days ago, they took over the consulate general in Bonn and thus received highly sensitive data from people who fled to various countries around the world out of fear of the Taliban. (…) The fact remains: “Anyone who wants to solve structural problems with deportations is throwing smokescreens that primarily strengthen the right-wing fringe,” emphasizes Dave Schmidtke from the Saxon Refugee Council. He concludes: "Refugees are an essential part of society. We need constructive concepts for coexistence - not scaremongering that pushes those seeking protection to the sidelines." Human rights must apply to EVERYONE, otherwise they are in danger for EVERYONE!” Press release from October 24, 2025 from Pro Asyl 
• “Protect children, don’t lock them up!”: Protest against the CEAS reform on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 in Berlin
  “Dear press representatives, we cordially invite you to the protest action “Protect children, don’t lock them up!” on - the day before the draft laws for the CEAS reform are debated in the first reading in the German Bundestag: Wednesday, October 8th, 2025 - 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m. - Brandenburg Gate, Pariser Platz, Berlin with: PRO ASYL, Federal Association of Minorities and Flight e.V., Youth without Borders, Terre des Hommes e.V., Refugee Council Berlin and Refugee Council Brandenburg. Action: A larger-than-life teddy bear behind a fence symbolizes a childhood of isolation and exclusion. There will also be posters, speeches and other artistic contributions. Representatives of the organizations are available on site for interviews. Background to the action: On October 9th, the Bundestag plans to debate the draft laws to implement the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) in Germany in the first reading. The reform relies, among other things, on a major expansion of measures to restrict and deprive refugees of their freedom. According to the draft, even children should be able to be detained or accommodated in prison-like conditions under certain conditions. But refugee children need a safe and child-friendly environment, opportunities to play, access to school and age-appropriate support for their development and mental health. This is not possible in (semi-)closed facilities or even in prison. We demand: child welfare instead of exclusion! The members of the Bundestag must fundamentally revise the draft CEAS laws.” Press invitation from Pro Asyl from October 1, 2025 for the protest on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 - 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m. - Brandenburg Gate, Pariser Platz, Berlin
• Massive tightening of refugee policy in the CEAS Adaptation Act: The federal government is planning, among other things, new centers with the de facto detention of refugees 
  • CEAS implementation in Germany: With full rigor – human rights revision urgently needed!
    “With the CEAS Adaptation Act, the federal government is introducing a series of tightening measures in asylum law and in many cases going beyond the European implementation requirements: closed centers, detention of children and comprehensive cuts in benefits are only part of what awaits those seeking protection. (…)
    In addition to the incompatibility with EU law, the core remains: cuts in social welfare benefits in the existential area represent a breach of the constitution (which is why the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act itself has been criticized for years and calls for its abolition).
    Human rights revision urgently needed!
    Even this brief overview shows that there are serious human rights concerns about the CEAS Adaptation Act passed by the cabinet. It is essential that the members of the Bundestag fundamentally revise the draft and carefully examine its conformity with European law and human rights.PRO ASYL will closely follow the legislative process and the further implementation of the CEAS reform - because fundamental and human rights continue to apply and must be enforced, if necessary in court.” More comprehensiveContribution by Cornelius König from September 16, 2025 at Pro Asyl 
  • The federal government is planning new centers with de facto detention of refugees
    "With the CEAS Adaptation Act (...), the federal government would like to introduce a new form of partially closed centers: so-called Dublin cases and those recognized in other member states should be accommodated there and in many cases not be allowed to leave the facilities. Families with children should also live in these centers. PRO ASYL warns that a large number of refugees in Germany would de facto be imprisoned. "PRO ASYL has always criticized the reform of the European asylum system as a danger to refugee protection, especially because of the planned detention centers at the external borders – and now this threatens with the planned harsh implementation in Germany too,” fears Wiebke Judith, legal policy spokeswoman for PRO ASYL. According to the draft, “reception facilities for carrying out secondary migration procedures” are to be introduced as a new measure that is actually independent of the CEAS reform - in practice, these are at least partially closed centers in which a large number of those seeking protection arriving in Germany would have to stay. The problematic concept of Dublin centers is intended to be expanded. "Isolating and excluding refugees in special facilities is irresponsible and causes desperation, stress and depression among those affected. This is already evident in the Eisenhüttenstadt center in Dublin, where those affected have written an open letter to the public in desperation. The federal government must refrain from these plans. In particular, there must not be a mass de facto detention of refugees," demands Judith. (…)
    The CEAS Implementation Act is intended to introduce a new detention procedure for asylum procedures and to enable “protective custody” for unaccompanied children. The principle should apply that children should not be taken into custody. However, accompanied minors may be detained if the parent or primary caregiver is in custody. Unaccompanied minors may be detained for their “own protection”. In both cases, detention is intended to serve their best interests and should only be used as a last resort. "You don't protect children by locking them up. It's scary that such a norm should be written into German law. This is neither required by the CEAS reform nor necessary in practice. Even according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, it is very clear: refugee children should never be imprisoned," comments Judith. (…)
    In addition to the new, partially closed centers, the federal government would like to put another measure into effect as soon as the law is passed: an expansion of the German airport asylum procedures in order to test the new border procedures. Refugees who have been recognized in other member states should then also go through these procedures under particularly restrictive conditions. "Recognized refugees are allowed to travel legally within the EU and, when they fly, usually arrive at German airports from another member state - i.e. not across an external EU border. This means that they cannot be included in an external border procedure. If refugees recognized in other member states come to Germany to seek protection here again, this is usually due to the often very poor living conditions there. The airport procedure is in any case not the right answer to this phenomenon. The federal government should instead focus on improving the living conditions of refugees “Strengthen in all member states,” demands Judith…” Press release from September 3, 2025 from Pro Asyl to the 182-pageThe federal government's draft for a CEAS adaptation law 
  • EU asylum reform: Black-Red is introducing massive tightening of refugee policy
    "The federal government has initiated the implementation of the EU asylum reform into German law. The Federal Cabinet approved a corresponding draft law by Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) at its meeting in Berlin on Wednesday. Germany is thus making further progress in migration policy, explained Dobrindt. The Common European Asylum System (CEAS) stipulates that in the future, decisions on asylum applications from people with little prospect of staying will be decided at the EU's external border. In Germany, this essentially has to be implemented for procedures at airports In addition, Dobrindt wants to create the conditions for more refugees for whom another EU state is responsible to be accommodated in separate facilities. The aim is to return asylum seekers to these states more quickly. There are already so-called Dublin centers in Brandenburg and Hamburg. The Ministry of the Interior spoke of “secondary migration centers” on Wednesday. (…) The EU member states must implement the CEAS reform by mid-2026. Dobrindt aims for parts of the German implementation to come into force earlier in order to gain experience in the form of political projects. The EU asylum reform, which also stipulates that those seeking protection will be distributed more fairly among the member states in the future, is viewed critically by (…) refugee and human rights organizations due to the planned border procedures. For example, minors must also be detained in border procedures unless they arrive at the EU's external border unaccompanied by adults. According to Dobrindt's plans, the same also applies to the facilities for Dublin cases.Against this background, children's rights organizations clearly criticized the plans. “Children do not belong in detention or reception facilities without sufficient freedom,” said Terre des Hommes board spokesman Joshua Hofert. The planned regulations endanger the well-being of children, explained the organization “Save the Children”. (…) Criticism also came from the left. There will be protests against the plans, “both in parliament and on the street,” announced Bundestag member Clara Bünger. Dobrindt's draft law contains further changes to German asylum law beyond the implementation of the CEAS. This includes expanding the possibilities for restrictions on social benefits and, on the other hand, reducing the hurdles for asylum seekers to access the labor market. According to the ministry, in the future they must be allowed to accept a job six months after applying for asylum, even if the asylum application has not yet been decided but it is not their fault. In principle, access to the labor market for refugees should be allowed after just three months.” Report from September 3, 2025 from and at MiGAZIN 
• 34 billion euros: EU wants to triple spending on migration and border protection
  “The European Union continues to focus on isolation in its refugee policy - and wants to spend significantly more money on this in the future. The EU's external borders are to be further strengthened with 34 billion euros. The EU Commission wants to triple spending on migration and border protection in the next EU budget. “Because Europe’s borders are our shared responsibility,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen when presenting the draft of the so-called Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). According to the Commission, 34 billion euros will flow into migration management, strengthening the EU's external borders and internal security. The total budget for the years 2028 to 2034 is expected to be around two trillion euros - around 700 billion euros more than in the current seven-year budget. The 34 billion euros are intended, among other things, to equip border guards and a “fair, solid migration management system,” as the Commission announced…”Report from July 17, 2025 in Migazin 
• Institutionalized Solidarity: How the new solidarity mechanism could prevent national solo efforts
  “Several EU member states have declared “migration-related emergencies” and reported overloads in the past two years. This often happens as a result of national solo efforts, although the EU Commission is sometimes informed in advance. Politicians use overload rhetoric to legitimize their border closures, the ended admission programs or supposed redistribution pressures. In doing so, they rely, among other things, on Article 72 TFEU, which allows national measures to ensure “public order and the protection of internal security”. We are interested in the question of the extent to which unilaterally declared emergency and overload discourses can still be justified in the future Common European Asylum System (CEAS). The new Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (VO (EU) 2024/1351, AMMVO), which replaces the previous Dublin III Regulation, provides for a solidarity mechanism for the first time. According to our thesis, the new mechanism creates an institutional and procedural solidarity that no longer leaves room for unilaterally declared emergencies. (…) It is therefore doubtful whether the solidarity mechanism has created the foundation for effective solidarity - regardless of unexpected developments in the context of implementation. To a certain extent, the legislature has created a legal procedure for solidarity and, with the KVO, has outsourced the handling of “crises” to a legal instrument specifically designed for this purpose. This can be seen as an attempt to clearly distinguish between distribution problems (AMMVO) and other “crises” (KVO).Ultimately, when it comes to the distribution of solidarity contributions, the mechanism is triggered again in situations of “migration pressure” - so that political staging of emergencies, which was inherent in European asylum and migration policy from the start, cannot be ruled out even under the new system. (…) The new CEAS, in particular the solidarity mechanism, thus contributes to a deeper Europeanization in relation to “migration management” by adopting a concrete mechanism in response to “pressure”, “crisis”, “emergency”, on the one hand within the framework of the AMMVO itself and in interaction with the KVO regime. If member states are exposed to “migration pressure” within the meaning of the AMMVO or are in a crisis situation within the meaning of the KVO, a cooperative approach by the member states (p. 264 ff.) is set out in specially created procedures. As already stated by the ECJ, such a coordination mechanism excludes national solo efforts. In this respect, the current national states' appeals to states of emergency and Article 72 TFEU are being undermined, because the handling of such emergencies has now been conclusively regulated. Without European coordination and coordination, a unilateral crisis response cannot be justified. The solidarity mechanism therefore has potential as an instrument against the further renationalization of migration policy - even if the regulations continue to adhere to the problematic crisis rhetoric. In the future, member states should talk about solidarity during and independently of “crises”: the new mechanism at least offers a procedure for this.” Contribution by Maximilian Pichl and Lisa Steurer from June 4, 2025 on the Constitution Blog – see the current background:According to decisions of the VG Berlin: Rejection even at the price of criminal liability? The criminal liability of those involved is also dismissed...
• If all pacts and deals are not enough for the misanthropes: 9 EU countries insist on “freedom” in deportations and are calling for human rights to be relaxed
  • Freedom in deportations: Nine EU countries are calling for human rights to be relaxed
    “Nine EU countries want more freedom in deporting foreigners who have committed criminal offenses - and are criticizing the European Court of Human Rights. A clear answer comes from Strasbourg.
    In a joint declaration, nine EU countries are calling for more freedom in deporting foreigners who have committed criminal offenses. In oneopen letter They advocate a discussion about the interpretation of “international conventions” in today’s challenges such as migration. What was once right may no longer be the answer of tomorrow. The letter was created at the initiative of Denmark and Italy, and was also signed by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland - countries that are calling for a tough course in refugee policy. The nine signatories criticize in the letter that the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights has led to the protection of the wrong people in some deportation cases - specifically, this concerns the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. (…)
    Council of Europe defends itself against criticism
    The Council of Europe counters the criticism. In a society governed by the rule of law, no judiciary should be exposed to political pressure, explained Secretary General Alain Berset. “Institutions that protect fundamental rights cannot bow to political cycles.” The Court should not be weaponized - neither against governments nor by them. In his reaction, Berset also warned that the court is the only international court that rules on human rights violations in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. “This should never be undermined.”…”Report from May 25th, 2025 in Migazin 
  • Nine EU countries insist on “freedom” when it comes to deportations: Denmark and Italy have initiated an appeal for the European Convention on Human Rights to be weakened
    "It has long been everyday life in Germany and the EU: Politicians from various parties repeatedly question existing constitutions and fundamental rights because they supposedly no longer fit our times. Or: because they prevent states from adopting an even more rigid isolation and deportation regime. The latest example: Heads of state and government from nine EU countries have called for more freedom for deportations in a joint declaration. To this end, they believe, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) should be adapted to today's requirements In a Thursday evening from the official residence of the Italian Prime Minister Gio