An internal directive to the federal police at Düsseldorf Airport reveals that individuals refusing deportation can be released. An officer is appalled, calling it “bureaucratic madness.”
At Düsseldorf Airport, a 38-year-old man from Ivory Coast was scheduled for deportation. On his way to the aircraft, he attacked two police officers, injuring them severely enough to require hospitalization. Despite his repeated resistance to deportation, he was allowed to remain in Germany.
A directive from the Lower Saxony State Reception Authority to the federal police at Düsseldorf Airport, obtained by “Bild,” indicates: “If the individual refuses to board the plane or otherwise attempts to resist deportation (active/passive resistance), they can be released and return independently to their assigned accommodation.” In the case of a “failed deportation,” the federal police are instructed to “send the deportation documents to the responsible immigration authority.”
Officer outraged by ‘bureaucratic madness’
Manuel Ostermann, deputy chairman of the Federal Police Union (DPolG), told the newspaper that this policy “makes a mockery of the rule of law.” He added, “The situation becomes even more absurd when the violent individual is subsequently left at liberty. This reality highlights Germany’s helplessness.” He expressed concern that this issue affects not only people living in Germany but also his colleagues who have to endure this “madness.”
Ostermann noted that the Ivorian man had previously resisted deportation multiple times. “Because of this, we absurdly had to release him on the immigration authority’s orders. This allowed him to attack and injure my colleagues.” Contrary to the directive, the police took the man before a judge, who sentenced him to prison.
Ostermann criticized the situation, saying, “This bureaucratic madness is ineffective.” He calls for “federal deportation detention centers, a six-month period for obtaining substitute documents, and federal police responsibility for deportations.” He lamented that the federal government is “not seriously addressing” deportation issues, with announcements failing to lead to action. “It’s another declaration of bankruptcy,” he concluded.
