Working Papers Global Migration: Consequences and Responses Paper 2019/28, December 2019 Refugee Protection Germany Country Report Valeria Hänsel, Sabine Hess, Svenja Schurade Georg-August Universität Göttingen © Sabine Hess Reference: RESPOND D 3.2 This research was conducted under the Horizon 2020 project ‘RESPOND Multilevel Govern- ance of Migration and Beyond’ (770564). The sole responsibility for this publication lies with the authors. The European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained herein. Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at: [email protected]. This document is available for download at: www.respondmigration.com. Horizon 2020 RESPOND: Multilevel Governance of Migration and Beyond (770564) 2 Content ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................................................... 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................... 8 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 9 2. METHODOLOGY......................................................................................................................................... 10 3. NATIONAL LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK REGARDING ASYLUM PROCEDURE AND REFUGEE PROTECTION.................................................................................................................................................. 13 3.1. IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ASYLUM REGIME IN RECENT YEARS ................................................................ 13 3.2. TYPES OF PROCEDURE – SELECTIVITY OF THE GERMAN PROTECTION REGIME........................................................... 16 3.3. ASYLUM HEARING .................................................................................................................................... 17 3.3.1. Procedure .................................................................................................................................... 17 3.3.2. Decision Makers ........................................................................................................................... 18 3.3.3. Assistive Technology: Identity Checks ............................................................................................ 19 3.4. FORMS OF PROTECTION ............................................................................................................................. 20 3.4.1. Asylum Status .............................................................................................................................. 20 3.4.2. Refugee Protection ....................................................................................................................... 21 3.4.3. Subsidiary Protection ................................................................................................................... 22 3.4.4. National Ban on Deportation ........................................................................................................ 22 3.4.5. Tolerated Stay .............................................................................................................................. 22 4. IMPLEMENTATION: BOUNDARIES, SELECTION AND EXCLUSION OF ACCESSING ASYLUM ........................... 24 4.1. BOUNDARIES TO SUBMITTING AN ASYLUM APPLICATION .................................................................................... 24 4.1.1. At the German Border: Refusal of Entry and Expulsions ................................................................. 24 4.1.2. Refusals at Airports and the Airport Procedure ............................................................................. 25 4.1.3. Blocking Access to the Asylum System through Border Controls along the Route ........................... 26 4.2. CLOSING THE ASYLUM PROCEDURE WITHOUT EXAMINING THE ASYLUM CLAIM ........................................................ 27 4.2.1. Dublin Regulation......................................................................................................................... 29 4.2.2. The ‘Safe Third Country’ Concept .................................................................................................. 32 4.3. FAST-TRACKING OF PROCEDURES AND THE ACCELERATED PROCEDURE ................................................................... 33 4.3.1. The ‘Safe Country of Origin’ Concept............................................................................................. 34 4.3.2. Fast-Tracking of Asylum Procedures since 2015 ............................................................................. 35 4.3.2.1. Clustering and ‘Perspective to Stay’ ........................................................................................... 35 4.3.2.2. Fast-Track Procedures for Asylum Seekers with ‘High Perspective to Stay’ ................................... 37 4.3.2.3. Fast-Track Procedures and the Establishment of Arrival Centres: Asylum Procedures on an Assembly Line ........................................................................................................................................ 38 4.3.2.4. Case Study 1: The ‘Heidelberger Modell’ – Early Clustering and Separating ................................ 39 4.3.2.5. Case Study 2: Arrival Centres in Lower Saxony – LAB and Fallingbostel ....................................... 40 4.3.3. Accelerated Procedure in Special Reception Centres ...................................................................... 43 4.3.3.1. The Accelerated Asylum Procedure ............................................................................................ 43 4.3.3.2. Special Reception Centres – AnkER Centres ................................................................................ 44 4.4. PROCEDURAL PRACTICE – PROBLEMS AND DEFICIENCIES .................................................................................... 45 4.4.1. Little Information – Complicated Paperwork ................................................................................. 46 4.4.2. Long Duration, Waiting and Situation of Limbo ............................................................................. 47 4.4.3. Underqualified Staff, Unqualified Decisions, Structural Mistrust .................................................... 49 4.4.4. Errors, Mistakes, Sloppiness and Politics of Scandalisation ............................................................ 51 4.4.4.1. Politics of Scandalisation ........................................................................................................................ 52 4.4.5. Translation as an Essential Problem .............................................................................................. 53 4.4.6. Discrimination through Pre-Selection and Procedural Acceleration ................................................ 55 4.4.7. Pressure on Independent Counselling ........................................................................................... 55 4.4.7.1. Voluntary Return Counselling ................................................................................................................. 57 4.4.8. Remedies and Court Cases ............................................................................................................ 58 4.4.8.1. Scarcity of Lawyers ................................................................................................................................ 60 3 4.4.8.2. In Front of the Court .............................................................................................................................. 60 4.4.9. Gender and Sexual Orientation – Not Treated with Care and Respect ............................................ 61 4.4.10. From Right to Favour: Family Reunification ................................................................................. 62 4.4.11. The Special Protection Status of Minors ...................................................................................... 65 4.4.12. Deportation Custody and Returns ............................................................................................... 66 4.4.13. The Importance of Civil Society Actors and diasporic networks for Having Access to the Protection System................................................................................................................................................... 67 5. DOMINANT NARRATIVES AND TROPES .................................................................................................... 69 5.1. THE PRE-2015 NARRATIVES ....................................................................................................................... 69 5.2. THE DEVELOPMENTS OF 2015 AS A ‘REFUGEE CRISIS’ AND ‘STATE OF EMERGENCY’ .................................................. 70 5.2.1. Lack of Infrastructure and Capacity .............................................................................................. 70 5.2.2 The Crisis as Lack of (State) Control ............................................................................................... 71 5.2.3. The Narrative of the ‘Societal Willingness to Integrate’ (Aufnahmebereitschaft) and Its Limits ...... 72 5.3. REGAINING CONTROL – RESTRICTIONS IN THE NAME OF EFFICIENCY AND CENTRALISATION ........................................