Germany revokes protection for more Syrian refugees
Germany has started revoking protection status from more Syrian refugees as the government pushes for returns following the end of the war in Syria.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has been reviewing Syrian cases for years. But the rate of withdrawals has jumped sharply in 2026. According to _Der Spiegel_, monthly reviews are averaging around 1,404 files, similar to 2025. The difference is in the outcome.
In 2025, less than 4% of reviewed cases led to protection being withdrawn. In 2026 that figure rose to about 17%. In May alone it exceeded 30%, the highest level recorded so far.
BAMF says the increase is mainly due to a focus on people convicted of crimes. Withdrawing protection is legally easier in those cases. Between January and May, the office opened more than 3,500 procedures that could lead to revocation. In that period refugee status was withdrawn in 57 cases and lower-level protection in 22 others.
The shift comes after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Since then, Germany and other EU countries have suspended new asylum decisions for Syrians and begun reassessing existing ones. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has even suggested that around 80% of Syrians in Germany should return to Syria within three years, sparking major political debate.
The government is also pushing voluntary returns. In 2025, 3,681 Syrians returned home under a federal funding program. In the first five months of 2026, that number was 2,325, with 652 in May alone. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has proposed raising return incentives for adults to up to 1,000 euros.
Despite the tougher approach, officials say the impact is still limited. About 500,000 Syrians currently hold some form of protection in Germany. Roughly 1 million Syrians live in Germany in total, most of whom arrived during 2015-2016. Of those, about half still have asylum or subsidiary protection, while others have residency or citizenship.
Authorities stress that most cases are not being revoked. In 2025, BAMF completed 16,737 review procedures involving Syrians. Protection was withdrawn in 552 cases, while it remained unchanged in more than 16,000. Another 20,428 cases are still pending.
Human rights groups warn that Syria is still not safe for large-scale returns. The government says it is prioritizing criminals and those considered a security threat first, in line with a new coalition agreement between conservatives and the Social Democrats.