Immigration file: 169 Algerians deported from Germany in 2016

Recent data released by the German Interior Ministry revealed that 404 asylum seekers hailing from the Maghreb countries were deported back home during 2016, including 169 Algerians, thus marking an increase in the number of immigrants expelled from Germany to the Maghreb countries compared to the previous year 2015.

According to the same source, the overall number of asylum seekers who were slated to leave German soil last year reached 3,736 Moroccans, 3,784 Algerians and 1,515 Tunisians.

To this effect, several politicians in Germany bitterly criticized the Arab Maghreb countries for what they called as “their lack of cooperation with Germany” in paving the way for the smooth repatriation of certain ineligible asylum seekers.

 The German Chancellor Ms Angela Merkel, was told by Prime Minister, Abdelmalek Sellal during the latter’s official visit to Berlin in January 2016 that she can count on the cooperation of the Algerian authorities in the deportation of those Algerians that Germany refused to grant asylum.

Mr Sellal however stressed that Algeria is ready to cooperate on this outstanding file, but provided that anyone deported from Germany to Algeria “must of course be ascertained by the relevant authorities that he’s truly an Algerian national”.

The Director General of National Security, (DGSN) Major General Abdelghani Hamel, likewise expressed in May 2016, the readiness of Algeria to cooperate with Germany in the repatriation of those Algerian nationals residing in Germany illegally, after the Berlin authorities was classified Algeria as well as Morocco and Tunisia as “safe countries”.

Major General Hamel declared to this effect after a meeting with German police Director, Mr. Dieter Roman, that “the Algerian police is ready to cooperate with the German police to solve the problem of Algerian nationals residing in Germany on an illegal basis”.