Cologne Investigates Rejection of Deportation Assistance for Migrants

The Cologne city administration is under scrutiny after allegations that it turned down help offered by the Central Foreigners Authority in Coesfeld, acting on behalf of the North Rhine‑Westphalia refugee ministry. The assistance would have provided EU travel documents for roughly 500 migrants from West Balkan states who are required to leave Germany. Critics, including the FDP, say the city cannot quantify how many on the list have actually departed, pointing to a broader transparency problem.

The controversy is being debated in Cologne’s city council, with the AfD demanding a special session on the matter. At the same time, a violent clash between two extended families in the Mülheim district of Cologne left four people wounded by gunfire and stabbing. Seven suspects were initially detained but later released because prosecutors said the evidence was insufficient for a detention order.