Cities in North Rhine-Westphalia reduced social benefits for more than 1,100 migrants in 2025
Last year, four cities in North Rhine-Westphalia — Duisburg, Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, and Hagen — cut social assistance for a total of 1,181 EU citizens from Bulgaria and Romania, and ordered many of them to leave the country. Authorities found that those who work only a few hours should not benefit from social welfare systems.
WDR research based on municipal data showed differences between cities: 556 cases in Duisburg, 506 in Gelsenkirchen, 116 in Dortmund, and only three cases in Hagen. Social benefits can be legally withdrawn if beneficiaries do not contribute clearly enough to their own support, according to EU rules on the freedom of movement of workers.
Hagen has about 7,000 migrants from Romania and Bulgaria, many of whom are Roma, and 55% of them rely on assistance from the job center, costing the city around ten million euros annually. Mayor Denis Rybain confirmed that labor migration is necessary, but 'targeted migration to social welfare systems' is widely rejected.
Authorities in other Ruhr cities act more strictly. In Gelsenkirchen, the Foreigners' Office assesses cases carefully: if a person earns less than a third of their living expenses, they usually lose their employee status, leading to a reduction in assistance and the possibility of family deportation. Courts have confirmed this practice several times.
Critics, including immigration law attorney Lisa Chiarelli from Dortmund, warn that authorities must review each case individually. Decisions take into account special circumstances, such as illness or family obligations. However, she points out that the overall approach has become stricter due to political pressure, making enforcement more stringent and public attitudes towards migrant care more severe.