In the first nine months of this year, over 4,600 asylum seekers whose applications were rejected returned to Germany, despite the existing entry ban.
This is according to a response from the Ministry of the Interior to an inquiry by independent Bundestag member Matthias Helferich.
According to the response, by September 30, 2024, a total of 4,614 people entered Germany despite the entry ban. During the same period, 14,718 asylum seekers were deported.
The highest number of arrivals came from Afghanistan (443). The Republic of Moldova ranked second, with 431 individuals entering Germany despite the ban, followed by Syria, with 385 individuals.
The likelihood that these people will commit crimes again when they return to the country is very high. During re-entry, they essentially become offenders and should therefore be detained, said the Chairman of the German Police Union, Rainer Wendt.
Entry and residence bans are removed from the Central Foreigners’ Register after a blocking period, which usually lasts five years. This means that authorities are not always able to determine whether a migrant is an illegal repatriate or not.
