Category: News from the Borders

• During the humanitarian winter deportation stop in Berlin from December 22 to February 28, 73 people were deported. To the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

• There has been a significant increase in politically motivated violence against refugees in Saxony-Anhalt. Although relatively few people with a migration background live there, they are particularly often victims of racist violence. The MDR reports.

• The Humanity 1 must be released – so ruled a court in Italy. The detention was obviously unlawful. More about this on my Insta.

• Friedrich Merz is rehashing the old "upper limit debate" and only wants to allow between 60,000 and 100,000 refugees to enter Germany each year. We have already clarified many times in recent years that there can be no upper limit for basic rights. More on this in the Tagesschau.

• After being slapped down by the Supreme Court, the government in London now wants to persuade people to voluntarily move to Rwanda with the equivalent of €3500. To the Tagesspiegel.

• Yesterday, Ursula von der Leyen concluded a deal worth billions with the Egyptian regime in Cairo, which also deals with refugees and migration. This deal is morally reprehensible and naive in terms of content. Read more in the FAZ.

• Using the example of the EU-Tunisia agreement, I explained in my speech in Parliament last week that such deals do not work and lead to more and more chaos and suffering. Speech.

• On Friday, at least 22 people died while fleeing in Egypt. t-online reports.

• During a crossing from Libya According to survivors, more than 60 people drowned across the Mediterranean. ZDF heute reports.

• Italy has detained the largest ship of the sea rescue organization Sea Eye for two months because the crew refused to hand over rescued people to the Libyan coast guard. This is the longest blockade to date by an Italian decree that forces rescue ships to go directly to a predetermined port after a rescue operation and not to respond to any further distress calls. To the article.

• In a Resolution of the European Parliament we MEPs have criticized the release of funds for the Tunisian government. This is primarily about paying an autocrat for his services as the ruler of Europe. More about this on my homepage.

• Because his ever-improving integration could stand in the way of later deportation, a Syrian man in Thuringia was banned from working by the authorities – to the annoyance and incomprehension of his company and the Thuringian migration officer. Completely absurd. Work bans should be abolished. The MDR reports.

• On February 23, five people died off Malta when a ship capsized. The Maltese authorities initially did not send suitable rescue boats and did not inform the nearby Sea-Watch 5, which could have rescued them. More about this at Sea-Watch on Insta.

• A fire broke out yesterday in the refugee accommodation at Berlin's former Tegel Airport. No one was injured, according to the Berlin fire department. Alternative accommodation is available for the affected residents. RBB reports.

• According to the United Nations, at least 8,565 people lost their lives while fleeing in 2023. This is the highest figure since records began. The number of unreported cases is higher. The Standard reports.
• Italy has detained the "Sea-Watch 5" after the crew rescued 56 people and brought them ashore. Prior to this, a 17-year-old died on board because Italy, Malta and Tunisia did not initiate a medical evacuation despite requests to do so. To the taz article.
• doctor as a cab driver. In Poland, many refugees from Ukraine have found work quickly – but they are often employed below their qualifications. To the NDR radio feature (4 min.).

News from the Borders Feminist Day of Struggle 2024

• Over half of the more than 110 million people on the run are women and girls. In refugee situations, they are often unprotected and therefore become victims of physical and psychological violence. On International Women's Day, the UN Refugee Agency draws attention to their plight.

• Women from third countries can receive protection in the EU due to domestic violence. This was decided by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg in January. DW reports.

• According to EU human rights expert Dunja MijatoviÄ, Europe's treatment of refugees often does not comply with humanitarian principles or human rights standards. The right to asylum is being eroded. To the Zeit article.

• In the run-up to today's Conference of Minister Presidents, the CDU is pushing for further tightening of asylum laws or even legally unenforceable upper limits. Other topics will be the payment card and the externalization of the external border. Time Online reports.

• According to a Study by Bertelsmann a clear majority of respondents in Germany see opportunities and benefits from immigration. 87% are of the opinion that refugees should be able to return to work quickly, 75% are in favor of distribution quotas for refugees in the EU and a further 35TP5T say: "Germany can and should take in more refugees because it is a humanitarian necessity. Click here for the summary at Zeit Online.

• The British House of Lords has significantly weakened the bill, which the Conservative government intends to use to deport refugees without the right to object in future. The FAZ reports.

• Sea rescuers from the organization SOS Humanity rescued 77 people in the Mediterranean at the weekend. The Libyan coastguard jeopardized the rescue operation and even fired on them. One person died as a result of the attack by the border guards. RND reports.

• A seven-year-old girl drowned in the English Channelwhen the family tried to take a boat from Calais to the UK.

• The British Home Office has violated the fundamental rights of those affected with a pilot project to monitor migrants with an electronic ankle tag and the tracking of location data that this enables. To the article.

• For 7 years, accused sea rescuers have been facing 20 years in prison. Now it came out: there was no evidence at all. Watch my video about it.

• On Wednesday, the crew of the Sea Eye 4 rescued 57 people from distress at seabut help came too late for two people. They did not survive the escape across the Mediterranean.

• Amnesty International considers the outsourcing of asylum procedures to third countries to be contrary to European law. The reason for this is the agreement between Italy and Albania. To the Zeit article.

• The public prosecutor's office in Trapani has requested that all charges against the Iuventa crew be dropped. More information is available from Iuventa.

• The European Ombudsman concludes that Frontex is unable to fully meet its human rights obligations due to current regulations. She appeals to the EU Parliament, Council and Commission to set up a commission of inquiry to clarify the causes of the Mediterranean deaths. More about this on my homepage.

• The new CDU district administrator of the Saale-Orla district is forcing refugees to work – for 80 cents an hour. Those who don't want to are threatened with financial sanctions. MDR reports.