Struggling Dublin centers contrasted with optimistic Hamburg

In recent developments, two Dublin centers in Hamburg and Brandenburg have been established to expedite the return of asylum seekers without residence permits to the EU country responsible for their asylum applications.

In Hamburg, the Dublin center has created 150 places, while in Eisenhuettenstadt, Brandenburg, 72 migrants have been accommodated. However, approximately 42 of these migrants in Eisenhuettenstadt have reportedly gone underground or are seeking asylum in churches, contributing to the low number of returns. Only 5 migrants have been returned to Poland since the center's opening in March.

The Brandenburg Ministry of the Interior cites strengthened border controls and rejections at the border as reasons for the low number of returns from the Dublin center. The German authorities, under the Dublin Regulation, cannot simply reject asylum seekers at the border. Instead, they must initiate a complex process to transfer asylum seekers to the state responsible for their asylum procedure, usually the first EU state in which they were registered.

The process of returning asylum seekers involves negotiations with national immigration and asylum authorities, border and police agencies, and international bodies coordinating migration and asylum policy within the EU framework. Specific bilateral or multilateral agreements are often negotiated between countries and coordinated with EU institutions to manage returns and readmissions.

The court ruling in June did not provide clarity on whether rejections directly at the border are legally possible. In a significant ruling, the Berlin Administrative Court ruled in June that the rejection of three Somalis during a border control at Frankfurt (Oder) train station was unlawful.

The Hamburg authority believes the period since the establishment of the Dublin center is too short for a final assessment, but initial positive developments are emerging, such as improved processes and coordination. The organizations and institutions involved in these negotiations typically include national immigration and asylum authorities, border and police agencies, and international bodies like the European Commission and the European Asylum Support Office (EASO).

The European system Eurodac continues to collect, store, and compare fingerprints of asylum seekers and refugees throughout Europe, aiding in the identification of individuals and their asylum applications. Despite the challenges, the German authorities remain committed to managing the situation efficiently and humanely.

Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) still intends to maintain the rejection of asylum seekers, a decision that has been met with controversy. Brandenburg's Interior Minister René Wilke (independent) stated in July that continued rejections at the border could render the Dublin center ineffective.

As the situation continues to evolve, it is crucial to maintain a balanced approach that respects both the rights of asylum seekers and the need for an efficient asylum process. The Dublin centers in Germany aim to strike this balance, working towards the efficient return of asylum seekers while ensuring their rights are protected.