Berlin (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Germany plans to scrap automatic legal aid for rejected asylum seekers to accelerate deportations and reduce court backlogs.
As reported by The Telegraph, Germany may remove legal aid for rejected asylum seekers to fast-track deportations.
What changes is Chancellor Merz making for rejected asylum seekers?
Chancellor Friedrich Merz will scrap the rule allowing automatic legal counsel for rejected asylum seekers awaiting deportation.
According to Merz’s allies, the earlier law created bureaucratic hurdles that delayed deportation cases and clogged German courts. The sluggish pace of deportation proceedings has become a heated issue amid terror attacks by rejected asylum seekers.
Germany’s migration reform, including the proposed law, was approved by Chancellor Merz’s cabinet in June and will be debated in the Bundestag.
The migration reforms include expanding safe-country designations to streamline and accelerate deportation processes.
Pro Asyl, a German refugee rights group, slammed the migration proposal as “undemocratic and constitutionally questionable.”
CDU MPs argued that deportation proceedings must be accelerated amid pressure following recent attacks by migrants without legal status. They warn that delays in deportation may let asylum seekers disappear, making arrests harder.
What did Alexander Throm say about speeding up deportations?
Alexander Throm, a senior MP from Mr Merz’s Christian Democrats party, said,
“We want the rate of deportations to increase, but many deportations fail due to people going into hiding or due to various legal and practical obstacles.”
He stated,
“Deportations must be possible in practice, as well as on paper, and the abolition of mandatory legal counsel is one of several building blocks for the Merz government’s change in course on migration.”
Mr Throm accused the previous German coalition—Social Democrats, Greens, and Free Democrats, of enacting changes that hindered deportations of individuals with no right to stay.
He added,
“The regulation, which was pushed through by the Greens in the previous government in 2024, led to confusion and increased the burden on the judiciary. This made deportations even more difficult.”
What did Peter Fahlbusch say about asylum detentions?
Peter Fahlbusch, a migration lawyer, said, “This is pure populism.”
He stated,
“I have supported over 2,600 clients in detention pending deportation, and more than half were unlawfully detained, at least partially.”
Mr Fahlbusch added,
“On average, they were wrongfully detained for just under four weeks. This shows how necessary lawyers are for these people.”
What did Germany’s Interior Ministry say about ending legal aid for asylum seekers?
Germany’s interior ministry intends to end mandatory legal support, saying it removes barriers to controlling illegal migration.
The ministry added,
“Such mandatory legal representation, which was introduced under the previous government, was an attempt to prevent people who were required to leave the country from being deported, even after all other administrative and court procedures and possibilities for appeal had found that they had no right to remain in Germany.”
What did Germany’s latest migration reforms mean for asylum seekers?
In the past year, rejected asylum seekers from Syria and Afghanistan carried out three fatal attacks in Solingen, Aschaffenburg, and Munich.
Forces in Solingen failed to deport the Syrian attacker before the incident, as he had fled his asylum shelter.
The Solingen case shocked Germany when 26-year-old Issa al-Hassan attacked a music festival celebrating diversity, later pleading guilty to the murders.
German officials explored whether Russia had influenced several terror attacks ahead of the February 2025 federal elections.
Asylum numbers fall amid EU migration pressure
According to official statistics, asylum applications in Germany fell by half. They reached 70,000 between January and July 2025.
The drop in asylum numbers is associated with tougher migration policies and passport checks at land borders. It is also due to fewer migrants coming from Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Syria.
EU governments face growing pressure from the populist Right to tighten migration policies. Some are proposing offshore centres, similar to Britain’s failed Rwanda scheme.
UK’s legal aid to tackle the asylum backlog
In Britain, eligible asylum seekers can access legal aid, providing free or low-cost representation.
According to reports in July, legal aid fees in the UK will increase by a third. This will raise the burden on taxpayers from £47m to £61m annually.
Officials said the move aimed to tackle the 90,000-strong asylum backlog and end the practice of housing migrants in hotels.
Asylum seekers in Germany in 2025
In the first half of 2025, Germany saw a sharp drop in asylum applications, falling around 43–50% to roughly 65,495. Most applicants were young and male, with 72% under 30, 43% minors, and 67% male. The largest groups came from Syria, Afghanistan, and Türkiye.