Key Takeaways
• Germany deported 1,087 people to Turkey in 2024, doubling numbers since 2022.
• New policies include expanded border checks, immediate entry refusal, and longer detention up to 28 days.
• Human rights groups warn deportees, especially Kurds, risk persecution and legal protections are weakened.
Germany Doubles Deportations to Turkey Amid Record Migration and Stricter Border Controls
Germany has sharply increased deportations to Turkey 🇹🇷, sending over 1,000 people back in 2024—a figure that has doubled in just two years. This surge comes as the German government enacts some of its toughest border and migration policies in decades, sparking heated debate among politicians, human rights advocates, and immigrant communities.
Deportations to Turkey Reach New Highs
In 2024, Germany deported 1,087 individuals to Turkey, up from 875 in 2023 and just 515 in 2022. This means the number of people sent back to Turkey has more than doubled since 2022, according to official statistics from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI). Turkey is now the third most common country for deportations from Germany, trailing only Georgia and North Macedonia.
This dramatic rise is part of a broader trend: Germany carried out 20,084 deportations in 2024, a 22% increase from the previous year. The spike in removals comes as the country faces record levels of migration and mounting political pressure to tighten its borders.
Why Are Deportations Increasing?
Several factors are driving the increase in deportations from Germany to Turkey:
- Stricter Border Controls: Since September 2024, Germany has expanded temporary border checks to all land borders, not just select crossings. This move aims to reduce irregular migration and quickly identify people without legal permission to enter or stay.
- New Government Policies: The new government, led by Federal Minister of the Interior and Community Alexander Dobrindt, has ordered police to refuse entry to most undocumented migrants at the border. Only vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women and children, are exempt from immediate pushbacks.
- Legal Reforms: Recent changes have made it easier for authorities to detain and deport people whose asylum claims have been rejected. The maximum length of detention before deportation has increased from 10 to 28 days, and police now have broader powers to search housing facilities and carry out removals without advance notice.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, these measures reflect a wider European push to control migration and speed up the return of people who do not qualify for asylum.
The Deportation Process: Step by Step
For Turkish nationals and others facing removal, the deportation process in Germany typically follows these steps:
- Asylum Application Rejection: The individual receives a negative decision on their asylum application from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
- Legal Appeals: The person can appeal the decision in court. Deportation is paused while legal proceedings are ongoing.
- Final Decision: If all appeals are exhausted and the rejection is upheld, the person is required to leave Germany.
- Detention: Authorities may detain the individual to prevent absconding. Under new rules, detention can last up to 28 days.
- No Advance Notice: Detainees are no longer required to receive advance notification of their deportation date.
- Deportation Flight: The individual is placed on a scheduled or special charter flight to Turkey.
- Arrival in Turkey: Turkish authorities process returnees on a case-by-case basis, according to official statements from Ankara.
Important: If you or someone you know is facing deportation, it is crucial to seek legal advice immediately. Organizations like PRO ASYL offer support and information for people in this situation.
Controversy Over Alleged Mass Deportation Agreement
In late 2024, media reports suggested that Germany and Turkey had reached an agreement to deport up to 15,561 Turkish citizens, with weekly flights returning hundreds of people. However, the Turkish government has strongly denied the existence of any mass deportation pact. The Presidential Directorate of Communications in Ankara stated that only individual cases are handled under existing protocols, and there is no arrangement for large-scale removals.
Despite these denials, the practical effect has been a significant increase in returns, especially for Turkish nationals whose asylum claims have been rejected. This has raised concerns among advocacy groups and minority communities, particularly Kurds and political dissidents who fear persecution upon return.
Who Is Most Affected?
Turkish Nationals in Germany
The rise in deportations has created a climate of fear and uncertainty for many Turkish citizens living in Germany, especially those without secure legal status. People whose asylum applications are denied or who lack valid residency documents face a much higher risk of removal.
Kurdish and other minority groups are especially worried. According to Kerem Gök of the Kurdish umbrella group KON-MED, deportations often target people who fled Turkey due to political persecution. “Many of those being sent back are at risk of imprisonment, torture, or worse,” Gök warns.
Asylum Seekers
The sharp increase in deportations appears to be discouraging new asylum applications from Turkish citizens. In the first quarter of 2025, only 3,755 Turkish nationals applied for asylum in Germany—a 61.2% drop compared to the same period in 2024. This is a dramatic reversal from the years following Turkey’s failed coup attempt in 2016, when applications from Turkish citizens, including academics and journalists, surged due to political repression.
German Society and Politics
The crackdown on irregular migration reflects growing anti-immigrant sentiment in Germany. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, now officially labeled an extremist group by German intelligence, has gained influence by campaigning for tougher border controls and faster deportations. The new government’s policies are widely seen as a response to these political pressures.
Legal and Human Rights Concerns
Human rights organizations and refugee advocates have condemned Germany’s new border and deportation policies. Groups like PRO ASYL argue that immediate pushbacks at the border may violate international law, including the right to seek asylum and protection from refoulement (forced return to a country where a person faces persecution).
Key concerns include:
- Risk of Persecution: Many deportees, especially Kurds and political dissidents, could face arrest, torture, or other abuses upon return to Turkey.
- Lack of Due Process: Removing advance notification of deportation and extending detention periods may undermine legal protections for migrants.
- Pushbacks: Turning away most undocumented arrivals at the border could deny people the chance to apply for asylum, which is protected under both German and international law.
Refugee rights groups are considering legal action to challenge these practices in German and European courts.
How the New Policies Work in Practice
Expanded Border Checks
Since September 16, 2024, Germany has conducted temporary checks at all land borders with neighboring countries. This means police can stop and question anyone crossing the border, regardless of nationality. The goal is to identify people without valid documents and prevent them from entering the country.
Immediate Refusal of Entry
Under the new rules announced in May 2025, most undocumented migrants are refused entry at the border. Only vulnerable groups—such as pregnant women and children—are allowed in to apply for asylum. Everyone else is turned back immediately, often without the chance to explain their situation or seek protection.
Faster Deportations
Legal reforms have made it easier and faster for authorities to detain and deport people. The maximum length of custody awaiting deportation has been extended to 28 days, giving officials more time to arrange removal flights. Police can now search housing facilities for people subject to deportation orders, and detainees no longer have to be notified in advance of their removal.
Dublin Transfers
Germany has opened new “Dublin centers” in Hamburg and Brandenburg to speed up returns to other European Union (EU) countries responsible for processing asylum claims. Under the Dublin Regulation, asylum seekers must apply for protection in the first EU country they enter. If someone applies in Germany but first arrived elsewhere, they can be sent back to that country.
What Happens After Deportation to Turkey?
Upon arrival in Turkey, returnees are processed individually by Turkish authorities. The Turkish government insists that there is no mass deportation agreement with Germany and that each case is handled according to existing protocols.
However, many deportees—especially those who fled political persecution—fear arrest or worse upon return. Advocacy groups have documented cases of people being detained, interrogated, or even tortured after being sent back from Germany.
Example:
A Kurdish activist who fled Turkey after the 2016 coup attempt was deported from Germany in late 2024. Upon arrival in Istanbul, he was detained by Turkish police and questioned for several days about his political activities before being released under strict surveillance. His family in Germany says he now lives in constant fear of re-arrest.
Broader European Context
Germany’s actions are part of a wider European Union effort to control migration and streamline asylum processes. The new Common European Asylum System (CEAS), set to be implemented across the EU, aims to strengthen external borders and make it easier to return people whose asylum claims are rejected.
Other EU countries are watching Germany’s approach closely, and some may adopt similar measures in the coming months.
Future Outlook: What’s Next?
The new German government is expected to maintain or even intensify its strict border and deportation policies. With public concern over migration and integration running high, and the far-right AfD gaining ground, there is little political appetite for loosening controls.
At the same time, legal challenges from refugee rights groups could force the government to adjust its practices, especially if courts find that immediate pushbacks or extended detention violate German or EU law.
The implementation of the CEAS may further restrict access to asylum in Germany and across Europe, making it even harder for people fleeing persecution to find protection.
Practical Guidance for Affected Individuals
If you are a Turkish national in Germany and worried about deportation, here are some steps you can take:
- Seek Legal Advice: Contact a qualified immigration lawyer or organizations like PRO ASYL for help with your case.
- Know Your Rights: Even if your asylum claim is rejected, you may have the right to appeal or apply for other forms of protection.
- Stay Informed: Follow updates from official sources such as the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community.
- Prepare Documentation: Keep copies of all legal documents, court decisions, and correspondence with authorities.
- Contact Your Embassy: The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs can provide information on repatriation and consular support.
Key Takeaways
- Deportations from Germany to Turkey have doubled in two years, reaching 1,087 in 2024.
- New government policies include strict border controls, immediate refusal of entry for most undocumented migrants, and faster deportation procedures.
- Human rights groups warn of serious risks for deportees, especially minorities and political dissidents.
- The trend is expected to continue, with further tightening of migration controls likely in the near future.
- Affected individuals should seek legal advice and stay informed about their rights and options.
For more information on asylum and deportation procedures in Germany, visit the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
Sources:
– Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI)
– Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
– PRO ASYL
– Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
– VisaVerge.com
– Official government statements and recent news reports
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Learn Today
Deportation → The legal process of removing a person from a country for violating immigration laws.
Asylum Application → A formal request by a foreigner to receive protection from persecution in another country.
Pushback → The practice of refusing entry or forcibly returning migrants at a country’s border.
Detention → The act of holding someone in custody, often before deportation or during legal procedures.
Dublin Regulation → EU law requiring asylum seekers to apply in their first EU country of entry.
This Article in a Nutshell
Germany sharply increased deportations to Turkey in 2024 amid record migration and tougher borders. New laws extend detention to 28 days and refuse most undocumented migrants entry. Rights groups criticize risks to minorities and urge legal aid. The trend reflects wider EU efforts to control migration and speed returns.
— By VisaVerge.com
