Cologne residency project under investigation amid deportation allegations

North Rhine-Westphalia's Migration Minister, Verena Schäffer, has launched an investigation into a Cologne-based project designed to provide a permanent residency perspective to migrants required to leave Germany.

The project aims to support individuals from the West Balkans and Iraq who have lived in Germany for a long time, are well-integrated, and earn their own living. However, the initiative is under scrutiny following allegations that the city of Cologne has been obstructing deportations.

A list of 471 individuals from the West Balkans, provided by the Central Immigration Authority in Coesfeld, became the center of the controversy. While Coesfeld offered assistance in obtaining substitute travel documents to facilitate returns, Cologne's immigration office reportedly declined, opting instead to support the individuals through the residency program.

Furthermore, an audit revealed that out of 218 individuals from the West Balkans participating in the Cologne project, 119 had existing police records. Minister Schäffer stated that while the concept of the project is fundamentally correct, criminal offenders must not be included, and the situation requires urgent clarification to protect those who are truly well-integrated.