Tuesday July 15, 2025
FILE — A German federal police van is stationed beside a deportation aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport during a previous operation. photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture alliance
Mogadishu (HOL) — German authorities have deported eight Somali nationals convicted of serious criminal offences, citing public safety and legal obligations to remove individuals no longer eligible to remain in the country.
According to Bavaria’s State Office for Asylum and Returns, six of the eight were prosecuted under Bavarian law and found guilty of crimes including attempted murder, rape, manslaughter, grievous bodily harm, robbery, and resisting law enforcement. The deportees were removed in coordination with federal immigration officials and police.
Local Somali media reported the group arrived in Mogadishu last week, although Somalia’s federal government has not commented publicly.
A spokesperson for the Bavarian authorities said the state prioritizes the deportation of individuals convicted of serious crimes. “This action reflects our responsibility to protect the public and uphold immigration law,” the statement said.
The deportation comes after heightened scrutiny of Germany’s immigration enforcement practices. In June, the Berlin administrative court ruled that border police acted unlawfully when they denied entry to three Somali asylum seekers at the Polish-German border. The court found that Germany had a legal obligation to examine their asylum claims under European law, even if they arrived via a so-called “safe third country.” Legal experts said the decision reaffirmed Germany’s duties under EU asylum procedures, while police unions warned that frontline officers now face legal uncertainty.
Ibrahim Isaaq Hussein, chair of the Somali diaspora association in Germany, said the deportations are consistent with new enforcement policies under Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government.
“The current administration is taking a stricter stance,” Ibrahim told the BBC. “Those who commit serious crimes will be returned to their country of origin. But this isn’t about targeting Somalis—everyone is treated the same under the law.”
He added that Somali nationals who follow due process and respect the law face no added risk of deportation. “If you apply for asylum properly, and either receive protection or go through the appeals process, you’ll be treated like any other legal resident,” he said.
Ibrahim urged Somali residents in Germany to comply with local laws, seek education, and contribute positively to society. “Respecting the system is the path to building a better life,” he said.
Somalia’s consul in Germany, Dahir Salad Hassan, said many Somali inmates in German prisons are serving sentences for various offences. Speaking earlier this year at a community gathering, he encouraged families to view repatriation as a means of rehabilitation.
“We know some of our youth have lost their way,” Dahir said. “For those serving long sentences—10 or 15 years—it may be best for them to return home and rebuild their lives in Somalia.”
Germany has stepped up deportations as part of efforts to reduce irregular migration. During a November 2024 meeting in Berlin, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Chancellor Scholz discussed coordinated returns for undocumented Somali nationals. While Germany emphasized repatriation for those with criminal convictions, Somalia pushed for voluntary returns rather than forced removals.
Shortly after, Somali Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Omar Ali Balcad confirmed that a limited number of Somali nationals convicted of violent crimes in Germany would be repatriated under an agreement with German authorities. At the time, he clarified that the arrangement involved 20 individuals and would not affect the wider Somali diaspora in Germany, which is estimated to be more than 65,000 people.
The push for deportations gained further momentum following Germany’s February 2025 elections, in which the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party surged to second place, signalling a sharp shift in public opinion toward stricter immigration controls. The Christian Democratic Union, led by Friedrich Merz, formed a new governing coalition after defeating the Social Democrats, who recorded their worst electoral performance on record under outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
In public remarks since taking office, Merz has defended Germany’s continued use of internal border controls, citing pressure on municipalities and public services. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has pointed to overburdened childcare, education, and healthcare systems as further justification for maintaining strict migration rules.
Somali migrants in Germany have expressed growing concern over the political shift. One such migrant, Ahmed Abdulqadir Ahmed—known as Baaba Jeey—told the BBC Somali Service that the election results had crushed his hopes. He had applied for asylum due to a disability, but his claim was rejected and his appeal was denied. He now faces deportation.
Former Chancellor Scholz acknowledged that thousands of Somalis who obtained asylum in Germany are making positive contributions to society. He said removing convicted offenders upholds the credibility of Germany’s asylum system and protects the integrity of the Somali diaspora already well integrated in the country.
Correction (July 15, 2025): This story has been updated to include new context on a June 2025 court ruling concerning Somali asylum seekers and expands on Germany’s migration policy following the 2025 federal election.