Deportation in Cologne: Criminal complaint filed against city employees!

Deportation in Cologne: Criminal complaint filed against city employees!

In Cologne, a current case of deportation is causing a stir and raising questions about compliance with city guidelines. As reported, the immigration authorities of the city of Cologne apparently disregarded these guidelines, which led to the filing of a criminal complaint against city employees. The criticism comes not only from those affected, but also from various political sides, including the Cologne city council, which is hesitant to comment on the allegations, and the Greens are also cautious. It remains to be seen what consequences these events will have and whether there will be a reflection on how deportations are dealt with in the city. [Report-K].

But what exactly happened? A look at the legal situation and the practice of the immigration authorities shows that people with a rejected asylum application must leave Germany within a set period of time. Otherwise, they can be deported, as happened in the case of 23-year-old Rome Tito J. On March 21, 2024, he was saved from being deported to Serbia by a Cologne administrative court at the last minute. The court found that the family community between Tito J., his heavily pregnant partner and the one-year-old child was not sufficiently appreciated. This contradicts the rights to protection of the family according to Article 6 of the Basic Law and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. [GGUA](https://www.ggua.de/aktuelles/einzelansicht/koelner-verwaltungsgericht-stoppt-familien Separatung-in-last-minute/) documents the events surrounding this case and the problems associated with it.

A failed attempt at normality

Tito J. was picked up on the day of his deportation despite the ongoing legal dispute. His partner turned to Marianne Arndt from the Cologne association Mosaik, who quickly contacted a lawyer to provide support. This time, however, the court stopped the deportation while Tito J. was already on the plane. The city of Cologne, which in the past had expressed its commitment to taking child welfare aspects into account when deporting people, was confronted with worrying allegations despite this guideline.

In total, over 20,000 people were deported from Germany in 2024, according to figures from the Federal Agency for Civic Education. Deportation practices have increased massively in recent years, which is particularly worrying for minors. In 2024 alone, 3,687 of those deported were in the minors age group. Despite legal obligations intended to regulate family separations during deportation, the practice remains rigorous in many federal states such as North Rhine-Westphalia. The inadequate adoption of binding standards leaves something to be desired, which the Cologne Refugee Council also criticizes.

A look into the future

The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia is called upon not only to take this issue seriously, but also to create regulations on the right to remain in order to help affected families. The Cologne Refugee Council is planning talks with the administration to discuss the current challenges and perhaps work towards a more humane practical attitude. There is definitely a need for a rethink, as the results of the planned deportation reporting in North Rhine-Westphalia will show. This comprehensive documentation is expected in the second quarter of 2024 and could provide new impetus for the political debate in the region.

The events surrounding the deportation of Tito J. make it clear that there is still a lot of work to be done in Cologne and throughout North Rhine-Westphalia to protect the rights of families and children during deportations. Public attention to these issues could lead to a change in the way deportations are handled.