Cologne admits communication errors regarding deportation assistance

Cologne City Director Dörte Diemert has acknowledged communication failures within the city's foreigners' authority regarding an offer to assist in the deportation of approximately 500 migrants from the Western Balkans. The Coesfeld Foreigners' Authority had offered to procure necessary EU travel documents in 2024, but the request was mishandled.

Diemert stated that the communication was “misleading and unfortunate,” explaining that only one department—the Right to Stay Program—responded to the inquiry. That department declined the assistance, stating the individuals in question were being supported to find permanent residency prospects. This single response created the false impression that the city was refusing to cooperate with deportation efforts.

Diemert denied allegations of systemic inactivity or a refusal to deport, noting that Cologne deported 229 people in 2024 and continues to perform regular deportations. She also rejected claims from state and federal politicians that the city had created a special legal status for certain migrants, asserting that the administration follows legal requirements. An investigation into the matter is ongoing.