FDP demands reform of deportation practices in North Rhine-Westphalia

The FDP has issued a position paper calling for a complete reorganization of deportation practices in North Rhine-Westphalia following reports of administrative failures. The party argues that current deportation enforcement varies by municipality, effectively making legal outcomes dependent on local postal codes rather than uniform law.

Concerns have been raised regarding the handling of individuals with no right to remain. In Cologne, the municipal administration reportedly included 218 individuals from a West Balkan list in a local program for the right to stay, despite 119 of them having police records. Additionally, reports indicate that the Cologne immigration office may have hindered the deportation of 471 individuals required to leave the country.

FDP parliamentary group leader Henning Höne has demanded that the state government take direct responsibility for deportations, rather than leaving it to municipalities. He emphasized that the deportation of asylum seekers with criminal records and security threats must be treated with the highest priority. The party also proposes that individuals without prospects for staying should no longer be distributed to local municipalities to prevent the unnecessary binding of local resources.