One month after the fall of the Assad regime, debates about the future of Syrian refugees continue in Germany. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced a four-point strategy addressing Syrian refugees which includes the possibility of revoking protection status if deemed necessary, Agence France Presse reported on Sunday, January 5.

"As our law provides, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) will review and revoke protection grants if people no longer need this protection in Germany because the situation in Syria has stabilized," Faeser told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group.

"This will apply to those who do not have the right to stay for other reasons, such as work or education, and who do not voluntarily return to Syria," she added.

Feaser said that her ministry is working together with the Foreign Office to assess the security situation in Syria following the fall of Assad.

A quick outline of the points in the proposed strategy is listed below:

Who can stay?

• Individuals who are well-integrated in German society
• An expansive definition of "well-integrated" includes: those who are proficient in German, have a job, and have a home

Who has to leave?

• The proposed plan advocates for the fast-tracked deportation of individuals found to be involved in criminal activities and/or Islamist extremism 
• A program for voluntary repatriation will be expanded for those who want to leave Germany

The Catholic news agency KNA reported that Filiz Polat, parliamentary manager of the Greens, said that there is currently no reason for revocation reviews of Syrian refugees' protection status given the situation in Syria which continues to remain volatile.

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Pay to go back

The two Union parties, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) criticized Faeser's plans as insufficient. Domestic policy spokesman Alexander Throm told the Rheinische Post: "For most Syrian refugees, the original reason for fleeing, the horrific Assad regime, is no longer relevant." He argued that all Syrians who are "not sufficiently working" in Germany should return to their home country.

Throm also called for an immediate suspension of family reunification from Syria and the deportation of criminals.

Just one day after Assad's ouster, Jens Spahn of the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suggested offering 1,000 euros to each Syrian immigrant who voluntarily agreed to return to Syria.

Spahn defended the proposal saying that those who are integrated into German society and pay for themselves should be allowed to stay but "those who do not need our protection anymore, they need to leave." 

Last month, the German government released 8 million euros in emergency humanitarian assistance to assist Syrian refugees and asylum seekers affected by the political upheaval following the fall of the Assad regime.

Getting tough on immigration and refugees 

An estimated 975,000 Syrians are living in Germany, making it the European country hosting the highest number of Syrian asylum seekers. The majority arrived after 2015, fleeing the Syrian civil war. Approximately 300,000 have been granted subsidiary protection status, meaning authorities recognize they would face danger if returned to their homeland. 

In recent months, Germany announced a series of new policies for managing the welfare of asylum seekers. Under the updated Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, welfare benefits for those seeking international protection will be reduced starting this year. The government has also limited the receipt of cash benefits to debit cards, limiting usage to local purchases and restricting cash withdrawals and transfers.  

In addition, some municipalities are exploring mandatory community service that would require a minimum number of hours of daily service in exchange for a small stipend. 

The government also approved parts of a new security package that included using biometric data to verify asylum applicants’ identities and suspending welfare payments for asylum seekers deemed the responsibility of another European Union (EU) country under the Dublin regulation states that the asylum seekers claim will be processed in the first EU country where they are registered. 

The changes reflect Germany’s tightening of its refugee policies following a spate of violence reportedly incited by refugees. The rising popularity of the right-wing Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) has also intensified the anti-migrant sentiment.  

A recent survey by the Pew Research Center indicates that approximately one in five Germans (translating to about 19 percent) have a favorable opinion of AfD. About 26 percent of men have positive views of AfD compared to 11 percent of women. 

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