German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says asylum seekers from Syria and Afghanistan who commit serious crimes will be deported to their home countries, in a significant change of policy that comes days after a policeman was killed by a suspected Islamist extremist.
In a statement to the Bundestag on Thursday, Scholz also said that immigrants who glorified or condoned terrorism would be deported.
“I find it outrageous that people can commit serious crimes who have sought protection from us here,” Scholz said.
“Such criminals must be deported, even if they come from Syria and Afghanistan.”
The announcement came four days after a police officer succumbed to wounds sustained during a knife attack by an Afghan national in the south-western city of Mannheim last Friday.
German authorities have so far been reluctant to send back Syrians and Afghans whose asylum claims were rejected in view of the dire security situation in both countries.
But the mood in Germany has hardened significantly in the wake of the Mannheim attack, which has dominated the final days of campaigning for the European elections.
The far-right Alternative for Germany party has seized on the attack to criticise what it sees as the government’s lax immigration policies.
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@TariffTigerForward2yrs2Y
Well this is the result of 1979 revolution in Iran... when religious extremists ended up having power and rule over a rich country like Iran. Worst will come too... these are easy days!
@SwingStateDonnyMountain2yrs2Y
The same people anting a regime change now, are the ones that orchestrated the regime change in 1979.
@9NNDBQQ 2yrs2Y
Let’s deport anyone that ever came from a country that had nefarious doings…common sense should be prevailing but that is not the case in most situations…
Sad for this Police Officer losing his life while on duty, our country has gone to waste, the people in power led this happen, a calamity, how could we as citizens hold our head high with Pride? So many died, and crime is escalating. Is there no end to this?
How many more innocent people must pay the price for the sake of political correctness?
Ah no one cares - they let their turn into Arab and negro ho’s and the all gay now - Arabs will run that joint / fo sho
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
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