Over a tenth of deportees are underage individuals - Over a tenth of those deported are minors
In Germany, the number of school-age children being deported has seen a significant increase, with more children being deported in the first half of this year than in the entire year a few years ago [1]. This trend is linked to changes in asylum and migration policies under Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government, which began in 2025.
Merz's administration has emphasized limiting irregular migration and accelerating deportations, including for Syrians and Afghans, with a policy aiming to "regularly deport" certain groups [3]. Although exact deportation numbers specific to children are not directly available, trends indicate a tightening of asylum acceptance and increased deportations as part of German migration policy shifts since 2024.
Last year, more than 11% of the people deported from Germany were minors, aged between 6 and 18 years old [1]. This proportion has remained over 11% since 2022 [2]. In the first half of 2025, 1,345 children and adolescents were among the 11,807 deportees, making up 11.4% of the total [1].
Dietmar Bartsch, a Left MP, has criticized the deportation of minors, stating that children belong in school, not on a deportation flight [4]. He highlighted that children who are deported are the skilled workers of tomorrow and their families [5]. Bartsch questioned the sense of deporting children who learn, grow up, and are integrated in Germany [6].
The federal government provided information in response to a parliamentary question from the Left, stating that among the deported minors, 2,316 were between 6 and 18 years old [7]. However, the government has no findings on how many of the deportees were in gainful employment subject to social insurance [1].
The rise in child deportations has raised concerns about the safeguarding of vulnerable populations, adherence to international protection norms, and the disruption of family units and integration prospects in German society [2]. The debate on balancing security, humanitarian obligations, and integration capacity continues, reflecting a political shift towards stricter migration control [3].
The report on these deportations was also published by Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) [8]. The information is also available from the German Press Agency [9]. The data on asylum applications and demographic profiles provide background to understand the broader migration dynamics influencing these deportations [1][2][3].
- Despite the focus on limiting irregular migration under Merz's government, Dietmar Bartsch, a Left MP, argues that children, who can potentially contribute significantly to vocational training and the health-and-wellness sector in EC countries, are being deported, questioning the sense of deporting skilled workers who learn, grow up, and are integrated in Germany.
- The increase in child deportations in Germany has sparked discussions about the impact on general-news topics such as the protection of vulnerable populations, adherence to international norms, and the preservation of family units and integration prospects, reflecting a shift in politics towards stricter migration control.
