Cologne Under Fire for Rejected Deportations Amid Controversy
The city of Cologne faces criticism for rejecting a deportation assistance offer, with politicians calling it a failure of state responsibility amid ongoing violence involving involved families.
06.08.2026 – 01:00
Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger
Cologne Under Fire for Rejected Deportations Amid Controversy
Köln (ots)
Recent reports regarding Cologne's refusal to accept a deportation assistance offer from the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) state government have sparked outrage across various political levels. Detlef Seif, a member of the Bundestag from the CDU and a representative on the Interior Committee, expressed his concerns in a letter addressed to Mayor Torsten Burmester, describing the city's actions as bordering on "deliberate state failure." Seif emphasized that it is not the responsibility of the immigration office to obstruct the procurement of identification documents necessary for deportations.
In addition to Seif, Gregor Golland, deputy leader of the CDU faction in the NRW state parliament, has also sharply criticized the Cologne administration. He remarked, "The failure of the Cologne immigration office is becoming increasingly apparent. It seems there is a deliberate attempt to protect individuals required to leave the country, including offenders and welfare recipients, under dubious pretexts from lawful deportation," as reported by the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.
According to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, the Central Immigration Authority in Coesfeld had contacted their Cologne counterparts in November 2024 with a list of approximately 500 individuals from the Western Balkans who were required to leave Germany. This communication included an offer to assist in obtaining EU exit documents or alternative identification papers. However, the Cologne immigration office declined this assistance.
NRW's Minister for Refugees, Verena Schäffer from the Green Party, refrained from commenting directly on the issue. A spokesperson for the ministry stated, "The state supports municipal immigration offices as best as possible in fulfilling their duties. This includes the consistent enforcement of deportation orders, particularly for those considered threats or offenders." The spokesperson also highlighted the importance of allowing well-integrated refugees to legally claim existing residency rights, noting that the decision on which assistance to accept ultimately lies with the municipality.
The situation has gained further intensity as members of one of the families involved in a violent confrontation on Berlin Street in Cologne-Mülheim recently appeared on the Coesfeld list. Investigations indicate that the Roma families B. and D. were engaged in a violent clash on Monday night.
Bernd Petelkau, the leader of the CDU faction in Cologne, has called for thorough investigations. He stated, "Anyone who does not have a permanent right to stay after a proper process must be returned. This is essential for maintaining the credibility of the rule of law. Deportations should not fail due to the political unwillingness of individual municipalities," echoed by Henning Höne, leader of the FDP parliamentary group in the state.
