Restricting Family Reunification for Refugees

Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has proposed a draft law to limit family reunification for certain refugees in Germany. Under this plan, refugees with limited protection status will be barred from bringing family members to the country for two years.

This measure aims to reduce perceived 'pull factors' that attract migrants to Germany. The government had previously suspended family reunification for refugees without asylum status from 2016 to 2018. In response, over 30 non-governmental organizations have urged the federal government to reconsider its stance and expand family reunification opportunities instead.

Furthermore, recent reports indicate that more than 1,600 individuals have been turned away at German borders since the new government took office. While Dobrindt views this as a success, public opinion on the effectiveness of these measures remains divided.