Barely two months after Britain’s new Labour government abandoned plans to deport unlawful migrants to Rwanda, Germany has proposed implementing the policy.
Joachim Stamp, the German migration commissioner, said that the German proposal would focus on migrants crossing the European Union’s eastern border.
Germany has admitted millions of refugees over the last decade, but the current coalition government is under increasing pressure to limit irregular migration.
This comes after a tragic stabbing at a fair in Solingen last month, which was claimed by the Islamic State.
The incident fueled far-right criticism of Germany’s migration policy.
Stamp said Rwanda made most sense as a destination for illegal migrants as the UK’s facilities were still in place.
However, unlike the British plan, Germany’s scheme would be supervised by the United Nations.
He said Rwanda has publicly expressed its willingness to continue implementing this model.
In addition, Stamp suggested removing the so-called “connecting element” in the new Common European Asylum System (CEAS).
Currently, external asylum processes must be completed in countries where the asylum claimant has a social link.
Last December, the European Union agreed on new procedures for dealing with irregular entries of asylum seekers and migrants.
The agreement was hailed as a triumph after nearly a decade of fierce feuds over the subject, but it may not go into full force until the end of 2025.
