Federal police pull smugglers off the city bridge in Görlitz
Despite border controls, people try to enter Germany irregularly. They are often dependent on people smugglers. The Federal Police repeatedly pull smugglers out of circulation.
News zu #Migration
Asylum seekers work for 80 cents an hour in Stollberg
Asylum seekers in Saxony can be called upon to do community service. They are paid 80 cents per hour. In Stollberg, they now maintain green spaces. There is criticism from the Refugee Council.
Conference of Minister Presidents under Rhineland presidency: progress in migration policy
The heads of the federal states have been meeting regularly since 1954. Last year, Hesse saw itself as the "heart muscle of German federalism". Now another state is taking over the chairmanship.
Saxony wants to maintain its own border police force
Saxony is taking a leaf out of Bavaria's book and wants to set up its own border police force. However, the undertaking is not cheap. Ultimately, a new government will have to decide.
Exhibition about refugees in Saxony causes controversy in Pirna
An exhibition about refugees for Intercultural Week at the Pirna district office is being dismantled. The authority refers to complaints from citizens - now the vernissage is being held elsewhere.
Sterntaler Prize 2024 awarded for the "KOMMunity Kids" initiative in Dresden
Saxony honors civil society efforts to integrate young people with a migration background. The Sterntaler Prize is awarded by the Kinderschutzbund and the Free State of Saxony.
Wanted organizers of smuggling operations caught in Dresden
A couple is said to have made money for months by organizing smuggling operations to Germany. However, they were not actively involved in the tours.
Couple arrested in Dresden for suspected smuggling of over 87 people
A couple is said to have made money for months by organizing smuggling operations to Germany. However, they were not actively involved in the tours.
Illegal entries halved with border controls in Saxony
Stationary border controls are intended to help curb illegal migration. Saxony has had good experience with this - controls have been in place there for months.
East German politicians furious over failed migration talks
Childcare, energy transition, migration - local authorities have to deal with many tasks at the same time. East German city leaders are calling for more support - and criticizing the federal government.
Signs from Dresden - Hundreds at diversity banquet
Dresden is once again hosting a banquet of diversity and tolerance. In the tense social climate in the country, the city is once again sending out a renewed commitment to openness.
Migrants discovered in tightly packed truck in Czech Republic - woman dies
It is a shocking discovery. Police in the Czech Republic stop a truck with dozens of migrants in the back. For one woman, all help comes too late.
Refugee Council: Refugees face more hostility
Migration was a dominant topic in the state election campaign. The Refugee Council criticizes unfounded scaremongering.
Saxony's interior minister criticizes the federal government's security plans
How should Germany react appropriately to terrorist attacks or the illegal entry of migrants? The ideas in politics differ widely.
Scholz in Chemnitz: Deportations "clearest signal"
Actively taking action and careful planning: these are his principles, the Chancellor assures at an election campaign appearance in Chemnitz. When it comes to migration, Scholz calls for openness and clear rules.
Scholz: Deportation is a clear signal to criminals
Germany has deported 28 convicted criminals to Afghanistan. The Federal Chancellor sees this as a signal.
Deportation flight: Afghan offender from Saxony on board
Early in the morning, the plane takes off from Leipzig/Halle Airport bound for Afghanistan. A criminal from Saxony is also on board.
Germany deports Afghan offenders for the first time since August 2021
Among other things, criminals are deported to Afghanistan with the help of "regional key partners". The German government speaks of difficult framework conditions.
Deportation flight to Afghanistan departs from Leipzig/Halle
Deportation flight from Leipzig/Halle Airport to Afghanistan has taken off, confirms Saxony's Ministry of the Interior.
Saxon Refugee Council criticizes deportation of families
Ethically unacceptable: The Saxon Refugee Council has clearly criticized deportations of families. And makes a suggestion.
Integration Award - applications until Tuesday
Every year, Saxony honors special commitment to integration and social cohesion. The application deadline is only a few days away.
Democracy 2024: Foreigners should also vote by post in 2024
On September 1, 2024, important elections will be held in Saxony that will decide the future of the region and its diverse population. In addition to the state parliament elections, in which the citizens of Saxony will vote on the composition of the 8th Saxon state parliament, the election of the Dr ..
Decrease in unauthorized entries to Germany via the Belarus route
In spring, the number of people arriving in Germany via Belarus and Poland without permission and often without papers increased. In June, the number of arrivals fell again slightly.
Number of attacks on refugees and asylum seekers in Germany has fallen
Coercion, assault, incitement to hatred: time and again, asylum seekers are the target of attacks. According to provisional statistics, the numbers have recently fallen. Regional focuses are striking.
More than 500 attacks on refugees in the first half of the year
Coercion, assault, incitement to hatred: time and again, asylum seekers in Germany are the target of verbal or physical attacks. The regional focus is striking.
Debate on rising expenditure for asylum seeker benefits in Saxony
Migration remains an ongoing topic in Saxon politics and plays an important role in the election campaign. However, views on the right way to deal with it differ widely in some cases.
Fewer unauthorized entries to Saxony in the first half of the year
Since October, the federal police have stepped up checks at the borders to Poland and the Czech Republic. Figures are now available on the number of people who entered the country without authorization in the first half of the year.
Number of asylum seekers in Saxony halved - Refugee Council expresses concerns
The number of asylum seekers in Saxony fell by more than half in the first half of 2024. The Refugee Council expresses concerns about the reasons for the decline.
Fewer unauthorized entries in the first half of the year
Since October, the federal police have stepped up checks at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. Nationwide figures are now available on people entering the country without authorization in the first half of the year.
Criticism of Minister President Kretschmer: Ex-Landrat Neubauer comments on resignation
Following his resignation as District Administrator of Central Saxony, Dirk Neubauer criticizes Minister President Michael Kretschmer. He criticizes a lack of open discussion and criticizes migration policy.
OVG ruling: City does not have to take Moroccans back
A Moroccan is deported despite a court order to the contrary. The Higher Administrative Court has now ruled that he does not have to be returned.
Fire set at planned asylum accommodation in Leipzig
A local resident alerts the police to a fire at a planned refugee shelter. A young man comes under suspicion due to traces left at the scene.
Greens demand clarification on the deportation of a Moroccan man
A man is deported despite a court order to the contrary. For the Greens, this is an affront. How could this happen?
Refugee Council again criticizes deportation of a man
Just at the beginning of the week, a planned deportation from Saxony caused protests. Now the Refugee Council is once again criticizing the authorities.
Rising number of deportations of rejected asylum seekers in Saxony
The number of deportations of rejected asylum seekers in Saxony continues to rise. This year, 487 people have already been deported, mainly from Tunisia, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia and Turkey.
Commission deals with controversial deportation
The controversial deportation of a man from Saxony to Serbia has been halted for the time being. The Hardship Commission is now looking into the matter. It has submitted a request to the Minister of the Interior.
Schuster calls for a tough change of course by the federal government on asylum
Saxony's Interior Minister believes that the population's sense of security has declined. In the Bundestag, he makes demands of the traffic light government.
Refugee Council: Numerous complaints about payment card
Lack of use at markets and clubs, not enough cash for schoolchildren, lengthy approval of bank transfers - there are always problems with the payment card.
Immediate program for the deportation of serious criminals demanded
The Saxon Interior Minister is calling for an immediate program by the federal government to deport serious criminals and dangerous individuals to Afghanistan and Syria.
Belarus route: 2215 migrants made it to Germany
The numbers are rising, including at the EU's external border in Poland: The migration route is being used more again. But the comparison with the previous year is remarkable.
Shift to the right: Saxon Refugee Council hopes for donations
In light of the clear shift to the right in the European and local elections, the Refugee Council in Saxony wants to launch a fundraising campaign on World Refugee Day (June 20). The aim of the "100 plus x" campaign is to gain at least 100 new permanent donors by the state elections on September 1, ..
Saxony's Minister President calls for a solution to the refugee issue
Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer demands a solution to the refugee issue from the federal government and speaks out in favor of a 'breathing upper limit' for migration. He draws a positive balance of his government's work and warns against hate crime and extremism.
Saxony's Minister President calls for the deportation of delinquent migrants
Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer speaks out in favor of deporting migrants who commit crimes and calls for existing laws to be amended. Integration of refugees should be more targeted.
Saxony calls for special repatriation program for intensive offenders obliged to leave the country
Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) is calling for a special repatriation program for offenders who are obliged to leave the country.
Alliance calls for sufficient school places for children from refugee families in Saxony
The "Right to School for All" alliance criticizes the lack of school places for children from refugee families in Saxon schools and points out the serious consequences.
Saxon Refugee Council calls for change in the accommodation of refugees
The Saxon Refugee Council is calling for an improvement in the accommodation situation and easier access to the labor market for refugees.
Independent voters warn of school system collapse
The Free Voters (FW) in Saxony believe that the integration of children and young people with foreign roots into the school system is no longer guaranteed and warn of a collapse. "The figures show alarming conditions. The number of preparatory classes for German as a second language has almost doubl ..
More unauthorized entries across the German-Polish border
Since spring, the Federal Police have been registering more unauthorized entries across the border in the east. The Ministry of the Interior believes that Moscow and Minsk are also responsible for this.
State parliament passes law on integration and participation
Saxony wants to make it easier for migrants to settle into their new home. On Thursday, the state parliament in Dresden passed an integration and participation law. Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) spoke of a milestone on the way to a society that values and promotes the diversity of its ..
More people deported from Saxony - State Directorate reports increase in the first quarter
In the first quarter, 277 people were deported from Saxony, an increase compared to the previous year. The main countries of destination were Georgia, North Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey and Serbia.
Wagenknecht wants monitoring of refugee integration
The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is calling for close monitoring of the integration of refugees. She expects Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) and the other heads of the federal states to exert pressure in Berlin, Wagenknecht told the German Press Agency in Dresden on Monday. ..
Naturalization ceremony in the Dresden state parliament: 2548 people naturalized in Saxony
Last year, 2548 people were naturalized in Saxony, more than in the previous year. The naturalization ceremony in Dresden's state parliament honours their integration achievements.
Refugee Council concerned about Russians living in Dresden
The Saxon Refugee Council is concerned about the fate of a Russian living in Dresden. The brother of a dissident is threatened with deportation from the Free State, the association announced in Dresden on Thursday. A return to Russia seems just as impossible for him as a new life in Poland, where he ..
Debate on crime: Schuster wants more rejections
In a Bundestag debate on the police crime statistics for 2023, Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster called for more deportations at German borders. "We want to integrate sensibly", said the CDU politician on Wednesday in Berlin during a topical debate requested by the CDU/CSU. However, if too m ..
Saxony's Commissioner for Foreigners: Work and language are crucial for integration
Geert Mackenroth supports employment agency approach and Saxon integration law
Registration regulation for Ukrainian vehicles extended
Vehicles from Ukraine can still be used in Saxony with a domestic registration. A special rule to this effect has been extended.
AfD proposal on payment card: City boss lodges objection
Dresden's local parliament has decided on a municipal payment card for asylum seekers - at the request of the AfD. The mayor wants to reverse the decision.
Asylum seekers in Vogtlandkreis will receive payment cards instead of cash from April
Asylum seekers in the Vogtland district will receive payment cards instead of cash from April to prevent misuse. District office orders 800 cards.
Vogtlandkreis issues payment card for asylum seekers from April
From April, asylum seekers in the Vogtland district will receive a payment card instead of cash. As the district administration office in Plauen announced on Wednesday, this is intended to counter possible misuse and the outflow of money to the countries of origin. In future, each asylum seeker will ..
Friedrich Merz criticizes CDU parliamentary group in Dresden
CDU Chairman Friedrich Merz criticizes approval of AfD motion in Dresden. Promises broken. Talks planned with those affected.
Dresden city council votes in favor of AfD motion on payment card
With votes from the CDU parliamentary group, the Dresden City Council decided on Thursday evening to introduce a payment card for asylum seekers - thus supporting an AfD proposal.
Köpping promotes a positive attitude towards taking in refugees
Migration is an ongoing issue in Saxony - and not just due to the state's border location. The Saxon Minister of Social Affairs is tireless in her efforts to appeal to a sense of community.
Schuster urges measures to limit migration
Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster is considering turning back migrants who have already applied for asylum in another EU country at the border. "If we are heading for arrivals like last year or more, then I would call on the federal government to make use of paragraph 18, section 2 of the As ..
Saxony's chambers of industry and commerce warn of a collapse in the freight forwarding industry
The Saxon Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and the Saxon Transport Industry Association (LSN) have warned the Federal Minister of Transport, Volker Wissing (FDP), of a collapse in the freight forwarding industry. In a joint letter to the transport minister on Thursday, they stated that the tr ..
Training instead of school for young refugees
Many young refugees who arrive in Bavaria have barely attended school so far. The Ministry of Education now wants to offer them prospects with a new educational program.
Jobs for refugees in large parts of Saxony
The announcement from the Saale-Orla district of Thuringia that it intends to oblige refugees to work has caused a stir. However, the offer of work opportunities has been around for a long time.
Kretschmer: Migration commission without bans on thinking
Michael Kretschmer (CDU), Minister-President of Saxony, links the planned cross-party commission "Managing migration, protecting humanity" with progress in asylum policy. The commission must have neither blinkers nor bans on thinking and must also discuss an amendment to the Basic Law or cuts in ben ..
Dresden expects up to 2200 more refugees this year
Dresden is expecting up to 2,200 more refugees, is planning new accommodation and is looking for volunteers to look after them.
Mackenroth: Payment card and new job opportunities make sense
The payment card for refugees and new job opportunities will ease the burden on local authorities - that is the view of Saxony's Commissioner for Foreigners. Criticism comes from the Left Party.
Kretschmer calls for upper limit on refugee intake
Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer calls for a limit of 50,000-60,000 refugees per year and more consistent deportations.
Pilot project to introduce a payment card for refugees in Saxony
In April, a pilot project for the gradual introduction of a payment card for refugees will start in Saxony's rural districts.
Social Affairs Minister Köpping emphasizes the importance of psychosocial care for traumatized refugees
Saxony's Minister of Social Affairs, Petra Köpping, emphasizes the importance of psychosocial care for traumatized refugees and praises the work of the psychosocial centers.
Kretschmer: Payment card to make payment in origin more difficult
Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has welcomed the agreement reached by the traffic light coalition on payment cards for asylum seekers in principle. Now it depends on the exact details, he said in an initial reaction to the German Press Agency in Chemnitz. The payment card is imp ..
Kretschmer: Payment card to make payment in origin more difficult
Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has welcomed the agreement reached by the traffic light coalition on payment cards for asylum seekers in principle. Now it depends on the exact details, he said in an initial reaction to the German Press Agency in Chemnitz. The payment card is imp ..
CDU leader Friedrich Merz warns against the rise of the AfD and presents new basic program
CDU leader Friedrich Merz warns of a 'decline of Germany' due to a further strengthening of the AfD and presents the party's new basic program.
Bautzen district plans charitable activities for refugees
The district of Bautzen is planning charitable activities for refugees. Pilot project in preparation since January. Repatriation Improvement Act enables work opportunities. Saxon County Council welcomes law, Refugee Council critical.
O2 remains optimistic despite loss of 1&1 customers
Despite the imminent loss of around ten million 1&1 customers, O2 is optimistic about the future and plans further growth.
More than 160,000 Ukrainians live in Bavaria
Around 160,000 people from Ukraine currently live in Bavaria. The Federal Statistical Office put the number at 168,000 on Thursday as of October 2023. In 2023, the overall influx to Germany had slowed significantly compared to 2022.This means that Bavaria is home to the second-highest number of refu ..
Wegner: Nationwide solution for payment card would be better
The payment card for asylum seekers is controversial. Berlin's head of government considers the dispute in the traffic light coalition about it to be unhelpful. He would prefer a nationwide solution.
Ukrainians in Saxony: proportion of the total population at the national average
In Saxony, the proportion of Ukrainians in the total population last year was 1.4 percent, according to a statement from the Federal Statistical Office.
Debate about payment cards continues in Saxony
Views on payment cards for asylum seekers differ within the traffic light coalition. And this is also a contentious issue in Saxony. According to the Greens, there is no reason for a row.
CDU parliamentary group accuses Greens of blocking introduction of payment card for refugees
The CDU parliamentary group in the Saxon state parliament accuses the Greens at federal level of torpedoing a nationwide solution for the introduction of a payment card for refugees. This would lead to an aberration in migration policy and endanger social peace.
SPD politician calls for more commitment to refugees
Many refugees want to work as quickly as possible, but have to fulfill conditions to do so. In the opinion of potential employers, this is happening far too slowly.
Border controls with Poland, Czech Republic and Switzerland extended
Controls at the land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland will be extended until mid-June. The Federal Ministry of the Interior has notified the European Commission of the extension, as the ministry announced in Berlin on Saturday. Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) explained the extensi ..
The Left Party in Saxony's state parliament wants to reform the work of the hardship commission for asylum seekers
The Left Party in the Saxon state parliament wants to introduce a binding regulation for the hardship commission for asylum seekers in order to restrict the Ministry of the Interior.
Rejected asylum seekers from North Macedonia and Serbia deported from Halle/Leipzig airport
91 rejected asylum seekers from North Macedonia and Serbia have been deported from Halle/Leipzig Airport
More asylum seekers and more deportations in Saxony in 2023
Last year, more refugees arrived in Saxony than in 2022. The numbers of deportations and voluntary departures also increased.
Saxony's interior minister criticizes law on deportations
Saxon Interior Minister Armin Schuster is sceptical about the effectiveness of the new law on deportations. This "will tie our hands even more, and we will move even further away from the repatriation offensive announced by the Federal Chancellor", the CDU politician told the Bild newspaper (Saturda ..
Saxony's interior minister criticizes federal law on deportation
Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) has announced opposition to the new federal law on the faster deportation of rejected asylum seekers.
Another demonstration against AfD and right-wing extremism in Saxony
People have once again demonstrated against right-wing extremism in several Saxon cities. In Bautzen, for example, around 1,500 people attended a rally on the main market square on Saturday, followed by a parade, according to the police. Under the title "Protect democracy - fight AfD & right-win ..
Johanniter trains migrants as nursing assistants
The Johanniter aid organization in Saxony is training migrants to become rescue assistants. "We offer this special qualification for refugees in the care and rescue services," explained coordinator Antje Zajonz in Leipzig on Friday. The entry level is particularly low - participants basically only n ..
Bautzen district introduces payment card for refugees
The district of Bautzen is planning to introduce a payment card for refugees, which will be ready for use from April 1. This will replace the previous account or cash payment system.
Saxony's districts want interim solution for payment card
The Saxon districts are examining the introduction of a joint payment card for refugees. This is intended as an interim solution until a joint solution across the federal states is found, said Veronika Müller, deputy managing director of the Saxon Association of Counties, on Wednesday in response to ..
Criticism of integration law at hearing in state parliament
The planned Integration and Participation Act has met with both approval and criticism at a hearing in the state parliament's social affairs committee. The Saxon Association of Towns and Municipalities (SSG) described the government's draft law on Monday as "yet another example of state over-regulat ..
State capital Dresden expects higher asylum expenditure
The city of Dresden is expecting additional expenditure of around 82 million euros in the coming year as a result of increased refugee numbers. However, the state capital does not have to bear this sum alone, as it will also receive transfers from the state of Saxony. Up to 46.8 million euros will b ..
Increase in unauthorized entries in Saxony in 2023
The Federal Police detected significantly more unauthorized entries in Saxony in 2023 than in the previous year. Up to and including November, 29,264 people arrived in the Free State without valid documents to cross the border.
Köpping: Acceptance for refugees grows with integration
In 2023, more refugees came to Germany than at any time for years. Many local authorities feel they have reached a limit in terms of accommodation. There are also calls for better distribution.
Faeser extends fixed border controls by three months
The stationary controls at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, which were first ordered in mid-October, are to be continued until at least March 15 of next year. The Federal Ministry of the Interior announced on Friday that the controls would be continued in order to combat ..
Piwarz sees schools at breaking point due to migration
The Saxon Minister of Culture, Christian Piwarz (CDU), believes that schools in the Free State are reaching their limits due to the high number of children and young people with foreign roots. Integration work in a class can only be achieved up to a proportion of around 30 percent of pupils with a m ..
Federal Minister of the Interior Faeser announces extension of border controls
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser has announced that border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland will be extended beyond December 15 for at least two months.