BERLIN - A German politician criticized Berlin’s move to tighten migration policies and speed up deportations, and warned against mainstreaming the term “illegal migration.”
“Until three years ago, there was no term ‘illegal migration,’” Volkan Baran, member of the North Rhine-Westphalia parliament from the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), told Rudaw in an interview on Wednesday.
He said use of the phrase “illegal migration” has risen with a growth in right-wing politics and called it “catastrophic.”
At the federal level, Baran’s SPD is in a governing coalition with the center-right CDU/CSU alliance. The cabinet this week approved new migration measures to tighten asylum laws, including making deportations easier. The new rules must still be approved by the parliament.
Baran accused the CDU of unilaterally shaping the coalition government on the issue. “I don’t believe there are illegal people,” he said, while acknowledging that “of course, there are laws that must be followed.”
“If someone came here and misused the asylum issue, then they must also leave, because those who truly need asylum must be protected,” he said.
Baran supports allowing asylum seekers to enter the labor market after three months, warning that making applicants wait up to two years without being able to work or access education could have problematic consequences. “This makes you crazy, so you radicalize yourself,” he said.
Baran voiced strong opposition to deportations to Syria, citing instability and risks to vulnerable populations.
After the collapse of the dictatorship in Syria, many refugees are hoping to finally return home. The United Nations estimates some 1.5 million Syrians will choose to go home in 2025.
Baran acknowledged that Syrians who choose to return voluntarily should be free to do so, he opposed forced returns, stating, “I think deportation to Syria is too early at the moment.”
“Especially for minorities, Syria is not safe,” he added.
Regarding Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, he said, “I believe his hands are stained with the blood of many people. Just because he took off his robe and cut his beard, that doesn't make him a democrat or diplomatic in my view.”