Germany expands Dublin deportation centers

Germany’s second Dublin deportation center officially opened on March 1, 2025, in Eisenhüttenstadt, in the northeastern state of Brandenburg close to the Polish border. It is due to begin operations on March 13, reports the German Catholic news agency KNA. The center has two different buildings, one for women and families and one for men.

Many of those who might be housed in the Brandenburg ZABH (Zentrale Ausländerbehörde) center would be due to be sent back to Poland, adds KNA.

The center, which has capacity to house about 250 people, reports KNA, aims to speed up the transfer of rejected asylum seekers whose cases fall under the EU Dublin Regulation.

The first center, which opened in Hamburg, has already shown signs of easing administrative burdens. A third center has also been established in Bremen, and more could follow as part of a broader effort to address inefficiencies in the asylum system.

Asylum seekers under the Dublin process will now receive only basic in-kind support for two weeks, rather than full benefits under the German Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act. This measure is designed to reduce incentives to irregular migration into Germany.

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A system struggling to function

The Dublin centers are part of the reform of the Common European Asylum System (GEAS) and were proposed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) in December 2024, under the outgoing government. Their goal is to enhance cooperation between authorities and accelerate transfers to responsible EU states, with particular support from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Current Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized the importance of fast and efficient procedures, stating, “if people come to Germany despite having begun their asylum process in another EU country, they must be transferred there more quickly.”

The Dublin Regulation requires asylum seekers to file their applications in the first EU country they enter. In practice, however, the system often fails. In 2024, Germany submitted nearly 75,000 requests to transfer asylum seekers to responsible EU countries, of which about 44,000 were approved. Yet only around 5,740 individuals were actually deported.

The reasons for this gap are numerous. Some EU countries, like Italy, have largely stopped accepting returnees. Others, such as Greece, face legal challenges due to poor conditions in asylum centers, leading courts to block deportations. Bureaucratic inefficiencies within Germany’s state and municipal authorities also contribute to missed deadlines, meaning that asylum seekers end up staying in Germany by default.

Brandenburg’s Interior Minister Kathrin Lange has cautioned against expecting immediate results, stating, “The Dublin system, in its current form, does not work. It needs a fundamental overhaul. But with this center, we are at least taking an important step toward more order and efficiency in migration policy.”

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Challenges to the Dublin process

However, Olaf Jansen, head of Brandenburg’s Central Foreigners’ Authority, remains skeptical. He claims that 60 to 70 percent of deported asylum seekers return to Germany within days, restarting the entire process — so-called “revolving-door cases.” He criticizes slow processing times at BAMF, especially in Berlin and Dortmund, and calls for a more streamlined approach, arguing that repeat deportees should be re-transferred immediately without having their cases reopened.

The Eisenhüttenstadt center will focus on deportations to Poland, however, it is worth noting that Poland generally accepts almost all so-called Dublin cases transferred by Germany. Transfers are meant to be completed within two weeks, with Brandenburg’s Central Foreigners’ Authority directly coordinating with Polish officials. A practice that works well, Jansen told the Catholic news agency KNA in an interview this week.

The Federal Interior Ministry has stated that the centralized approach will significantly increase the number of successful Dublin transfers, preventing the common problem of asylum seekers dispersing across municipalities and evading deportation.

Rights groups and NGOs have criticized the new centers however, especially the limitation of welfare rights in favor of basic care. Wiebke Judith, legal policy spokeswoman for Pro Asyl told the Irish Times that the “Dublin Centers do not solve the federal government’s problems, but they drastically worsen people’s situation.”

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Stricter measures and political debate

The so-called “security package”, adopted after the fatal Solingen attack in Germany, stipulates that asylum seekers awaiting Dublin deportation will be ineligible for social benefits beyond minimal subsistence support. This is intended to reduce incentives for unauthorized re-entry into Germany.

While current Federal Interior Minister Faeser praises Brandenburg for leading the way alongside Hamburg, Jansen insists that Germany must enforce returns more effectively to prevent repeated asylum cycles and ease the burden on local authorities. He also claims that many asylum seekers do not come directly from conflict zones but instead travel from safe third countries like Turkey.

Jansen urges tighter border controls, better EU cooperation, and a migration policy focused on skilled workers rather than welfare-driven immigration. While acknowledging that asylum remains an essential humanitarian obligation, he argues that “Germany — like all classic immigration countries — should regulate migration based on its national interests. That means facilitating immigration into the labor market, research, and academia while limiting access to social welfare systems to humanitarian hardship cases.”

The skills shortage was largely overshadowed by the issue of deportations during Germany’s recent federal elections. With the center-right CDU/CSU’s victory, Friedrich Merz is set to become the next chancellor. He advocates for stricter border controls and a more restrictive migration policy.

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Further expansion

The Interior Ministry is in discussions with German federal states regarding the establishment of additional Dublin centers.

Although the SPD previously stated that the centers would not function as detention facilities, asylum seekers will still be subject to residence requirements and electronic check-in systems to track their presence. Official figures show that in 12 percent of Dublin case-individuals disappear upon receiving notice of their imminent deportation.

Lange cautioned against expecting “miracles” from the new Dublin center in Eisenhüttenstadt, but concluded:. “I do believe that we are taking an important step toward more order and efficiency in asylum and migration policy in this country.”

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