German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has admitted that “too many people are coming” into the country illegally and vowed to begin deportations on a “large scale” as Germany is on pace to see more illegal migrants enter the country than during the European Migrant Crisis of 2016.
Amid growing calls throughout Europe to crack down on illegal immigration in the wake of Islamist terror attacks and rising incidents of antisemitic crimes, leftist German leader Olaf Scholz has joined the chorus of leaders finally acknowledging that unfettered waves of illegals breaking into Europe must stop.
“Too many people are coming,” the chancellor told Der Spiegel magazine. “We must finally deport on a large scale those who have no right to stay in Germany.”
His comments come as data revealed by the German Federal Police on Saturday showed that the country is on pace to exceed the record levels of illegal migration set during the 2016 European Migrant Crisis, which came after Scholz’s predecessor Angela Merkel “opened the gates” of Europe to millions of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.
According to police data reported by public broadcaster Deutsche Welles, 21,366 illegals broke into Germany in September, alone, the highest monthly figure since February of 2016. In total, 92,119 illegally entered the country between the beginning of the year and September, meaning that this year is on pace to surpass the record of 112,000 illegals who came in 2016.
Chancellor Scholz, whose leftist Social Democrat Party (SPD) and government coalition partner the Greens have long opposed measures to clamp down on illegal migration, claimed that his government will stand together on increasing deportations.
“Those who are not likely to be granted permission to stay in Germany because they cannot claim a need for protection must go back. To make that possible, our public authorities must be reachable around the clock so that someone can actually be deported when the federal police take them into custody,” he said.
Scholz went on to say that Germany needs to carry out plans to digitise records at the federal Immigration Office, saying: “Procedures must be accelerated, with asylum applications and initial interviews taking place in the initial reception facility. Court proceedings must also speed up. In some states, initial rulings in deportation cases come after four months, while in others, it takes 39 months. That is unacceptable. We have to deport people more often and faster.”
The chancellor said that Germany has also begun taking measures to increase stricter border controls with its neighbours and will make moves to reduce incentives for people remaining in the country illegally.
At the European level, Scholz noted that classifying Georgia and Moldova — both prospective EU members — as “safe countries of origin” will make it easier for migrants to be deported back to the Eastern European nations. He also said that the pending European pact on migration will require that refugees are registered in the first country “instead of merely being waved through to Germany.”
The migration pact — which has been opposed by Hungary and Poland — will mandate with hefty financial penalties that all EU members agree to an illegal migrant distribution scheme, meaning that hotspot countries such as Germany will be able to send their illegals to other countries within the bloc and punish those states that refuse.
Scholz is not alone among European leaders finally calling for increased deportation efforts. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron called on his government to conduct a “ruthless” review of dangerous migrants for deportation after a middle school teacher was stabbed to death by a suspected Islamist asylum seeker.
The leaders of Belgium and Sweden also called for the EU to strengthen its deportation powers after two Swedish nationals were shot and killed on the streets of Brussels last Monday by a Tunisian migrant who allegedly pledged fealty to ISIS.
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