The Saxon Refugee Council has expressed legal concerns regarding the new so-called “secondary migration center” that has opened in the Free State of Saxony. The Council explained that the way asylum seekers are housed and distributed “is subject to limits set by the Basic Law, EU law, and the guarantees of the European Convention on Human Rights.” The fact that people are to be housed there in isolation under restrictive conditions for extended periods raises legal concerns.
The new center is intended to house asylum seekers whose cases are being processed in another EU member state or who are to be returned there. The facility in Dresden is part of the implementation of the new Common European Asylum System (CEAS). The focus is to be on encouraging voluntary departures rather than deportations.
The facility has been operational since July 1 at the site of the former State Departure Center in Dresden; however, no one is currently residing there under the new regulations. Solo travelers, unaccompanied children, and adolescents will not be housed at the center. Youth welfare offices remain responsible for their care.
