European authorities have unveiled a communication detailing the execution of the European Social Fund.

In a recent report presented on September 2, 2025, the Independent Deportation Observation NRW (ABEO) raised concerns about the current deportation practices in Germany. The report, which covered the year 2024, highlighted a significant increase in deportations and the potential risks associated with them, particularly for children and families.

The Church Council has urged for more political action, emphasizing the need for a humane approach to deportations, with no deportations occurring "at any price," as stated by Anja Kleimann, deputy inspector of the Federal Police at Düsseldorf Airport.

For 24 years, the Diakonie in NRW has accompanied deportations with independent observers, providing a crucial oversight to ensure the rights and welfare of those being deported are respected. However, concerns have been raised about the standards for handling deportation situations, with some cases reporting the use of restraints or bite protectors during flights, or individuals being tied to their seats with safety belts.

These concerns are not unfounded. Mert Sayim, a deportation observer, reported a case where a mother with her two primary school-aged daughters was unexpectedly deported to Armenia, while the father was in the hospital. In another case, two teenagers were deported to North Macedonia without their mother present, and it remained unclear whether anyone was waiting for them there.

The report also highlighted the issue of family separation during deportations, with almost every fourth deportee in 2024 being a child. ABEO recommends that politics prioritize child welfare in such cases and demands mandatory training for immigration authority employees to inform them about the handling of deportation situations.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is responsible for the training of employees of immigration authorities involved in the execution of deportations in Germany. However, according to observer Sayim, employees may be insufficiently or not at all trained in handling deportation situations.

ABEO demands an expansion of its observation possibilities, from the pick-up at the accommodation to the arrival in the home country, to make the deportation practice more transparent. They also call for more transparency in the deportation process, a demand echoed by other observers.

In a positive note, the report acknowledged the professional approach of the Federal Police towards refugees. Anja Kleimann mentioned two rooms for children at Düsseldorf Airport equipped with toys and teddy bears. However, the report also noted that whether people are restrained for the trip to the airport often depends on the leadership of an immigration authority.

In 2024, around 20,000 people were deported from Germany, a 22% increase from the previous year. The most deportations in 2024 were to the target states of Georgia, North Macedonia, Albania, and Turkey. A mass deportation to Afghanistan took place on August 30, 2024, for the first time since the Taliban took power in August 2021, with a total of 28 people being deported.

The Ministry's Flight Department has stated that local immigration authorities are not obligated to train their employees in deportation tasks, which ABEO sees as a significant gap in ensuring humane and efficient deportation practices. The report serves as a call to action for the German government to address these concerns and prioritise the welfare of those affected by deportations.