Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wants to change migration policy in Germany: the naturalization process is to be accelerated and returns are to be carried out more consistently. Faeser does not believe in an immigration boom.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wants to speed up the asylum process: This is to be implemented through a reform of citizenship law. Among other things, it is planned to make it easier for skilled workers to naturalize and immigrate, as well as to expand dual citizenship. But deportations should also be implemented more successfully than before.
In an interview with ” Welt am Sonntag “, Faeser talks about how Germany should carry out more deportations and what fundamental changes are needed in migration policy.
The Minister of the Interior repeatedly emphasizes that Germany is a modern immigration country and that people need more prospects in Germany. In order to simplify the asylum process, the case law is now to be made more uniform and the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) to be relieved. According to a report, the average length of asylum court proceedings is currently more than two years.
And there is no question that Germany needs immigration to counteract the shortage of workers and skilled workers. Well-integrated immigrants who have been living in Germany for years should thus have better prospects.
But this initiative caused resentment among the population. There is a great fear that people will only come to Germany because of relatively high social benefits. Meanwhile, Faeser does not believe in an immigration boom. She told the “Welt am Sonntag”: “If the pull effect of the high social benefits were right, then more Ukrainians from Poland would come here” – but this is not the case.
Asylum seekers from other countries, on the other hand, would not receive social benefits, but rather lower asylum application benefits. In addition, Faeser emphasizes: “There are no incentives that we set. People are fleeing war and terror”.
In order to improve immigration opportunities, the Federal Minister of the Interior wants to create a new overall concept: economic cooperation and qualification for the labor market on the one hand, but also consistent repatriations on the other.
For Faeser, a general change in migration policy is needed, with entry requirements being checked in advance and clear criteria for asylum being in place. “In this way, we can also pull the plug on the smugglers who bring people illegally into the EU on life-threatening routes,” says Faeser.
Measures should also be taken to reduce the number of illegal entries – because this number has recently increased. Europe is reacting to this primarily with increased border controls. Faeser reports that a bundle of measures has long since been taken at European and national level to counteract the increasing number of illegal entries.
Austria and the Czech Republic have started border controls with Slovakia and Germany has also extended the temporary stationary border controls with Austria, according to Faeser. An action plan was also drawn up with Switzerland this week, which provides for joint controls on Swiss trains and at the border.
The strengthening of the European external borders is nevertheless often criticized by human rights organizations. Because especially on trains, ID checks can lead to “racial profiling”, since people are checked mainly on the basis of their external characteristics.
But what does the Federal Minister of the Interior say about repatriations? According to Faeser, the repatriation rate should be increased. To this end, practicable migration agreements should be agreed with the host countries concerned. A central task is to be assigned to the former North Rhine-Westphalian Integration Minister Joachim Stamp: Stamp will be appointed as special representative from the beginning of 2023.
However, plans for repatriation have often failed in the past. So what’s different this time? For the Federal Minister of the Interior, new migration agreements are the solution. In an interview with “Welt am Sonntag”, she says that this has just been achieved with India: “In the future, qualified young Indians will be able to work as skilled workers in Germany. At the same time, we have agreed clear rules with India for the repatriation of people who are not allowed to stay with us. That’s the right balance.”
However, the fact that no deportations to Afghanistan have been supported since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan should not change. Because the situation in Afghanistan has not changed significantly: “In order to be able to deport someone, you need a state with which you can negotiate and to which you can hand over this person” – and that is not the case under the leadership of the Taliban, according to Faeser .
