Germany’s Interior Ministry said asylum applications continued to fall in 2025, with more than 113,000 people submitting first-time asylum requests during the year.
The figure represents a decline of nearly 50 percent compared with 2024, signaling a sharp reversal from the migration pressures seen in recent years, officials said.
Total asylum applications, including repeat and follow-up claims, reached 168,543 cases, marking a 33 percent drop compared with 2023, according to official data released Sunday.
German authorities attributed the decline primarily to stricter migration policies, enhanced border controls, and closer coordination with neighboring European states.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the government has adopted a "clear and consistent" migration approach, stressing that those without protection rights should not enter Germany.
Migration into Germany surged after conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine, placing heavy strain on asylum systems, housing, and local governments across the country.
Germany had long been the top destination for asylum seekers in Europe, but mounting political pressure pushed Berlin to tighten entry rules and speed up deportation procedures.
Experts also point to tighter border enforcement across Europe, the collapse of the Assad government in Syria, and stricter Italian migration controls limiting routes into northern Europe.
German officials confirmed that deportations rose by around 20 percent last year, reflecting faster processing of rejected asylum claims and expanded bilateral return agreements.
Analysts say while the decline eases pressure on public services, migration is likely to remain a central political issue ahead of future elections, amid debates over labor shortages and humanitarian obligations.
Germany deported 83 Afghan criminal offenders in 2025, interior ministry says
[KhaamaPress] Germany deported 83 Afghan asylum seekers convicted of crimes in 2025, officials said, amid stricter migration enforcement and continued debate over returns to Afghanistan.
German authorities say 83 Afghan asylum seekers convicted of crimes were deported in 2025, underscoring Berlin’s tougher stance on migration and public security.
According to the newspaper Bild, the most recent deportation took place on Friday, when an Afghan national described as a criminal offender was returned to Afghanistan.
Data from Germany’s Central Register of Foreigners show that by the end of November 2025, around 11,888 Afghan nationals were registered as legally obliged to leave the country.
Germany has faced sustained political pressure to tighten asylum rules amid public concern over crime, irregular migration and strains on social services. Deportations to Afghanistan remain highly sensitive, given security and humanitarian conditions there.
Since the Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...returned to power in 2021, Berlin has largely suspended returns, but has made exceptions for individuals convicted of serious crimes, arguing these cases fall under public safety obligations.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told Bild that deportations must be possible "even to Afghanistan," stressing that German society has vital interests in ensuring that asylum seekers who commit crimes leave the country.
He said the government would enforce this policy "decisively," framing the measure as necessary to maintain public trust in the asylum system.
According to the report, the latest deportee had been convicted of drug trafficking and had already served part of a prison sentence before being removed from Germany.
The deportations signal a stricter enforcement phase in Germany’s migration policy, particularly toward offenders, as the government seeks to balance humanitarian commitments with domestic security concerns.
Rights groups are expected to continue scrutinizing such returns, while officials insist that future deportations will remain limited to criminal cases under existing legal frameworks.
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