Cologne's immigration office is a scandal

2026-08-23

A deportation controversy in Cologne has exposed serious questions about the city’s immigration authorities. A repeatedly convicted Bosnian man remains in Germany despite a rejected asylum application, while officials are accused of failing to carry out planned deportations.

The 42-year-old man has reportedly been convicted eight times for offenses including gang theft, document forgery, fraud and obtaining benefits illegally. He is now recorded in 147 criminal cases, while another fraud proceeding is currently underway.

According to the report, the man’s asylum application was rejected as far back as 2003. Despite this, he continues to live in Cologne and is reportedly receiving around €7,500 a month in social benefits for himself and his eight children.

His case is part of a larger controversy involving around 500 people who are required to leave Germany. The group consists of nationals from southeastern European countries including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo.

The Central Immigration Authority (ZAB) of the Coesfeld district had already prepared the return process and sent Cologne a list of the 500 people in 2024. It also offered assistance in obtaining replacement travel documents needed for deportation.

However, Cologne’s Immigration Authority reportedly declined to cooperate with the planned returns. An employee from its “right-to-remain programme” told the Coesfeld authority that the people had been tolerated in Germany for a long time and that social workers were helping them obtain permanent residence permits.

The controversy has now triggered calls for political intervention. FDP parliamentary group leader Henning Höne has called for a parliamentary investigative committee, while the article argues that the state government should intervene. The affair has also renewed debate over how German cities handle people who are legally required to leave the country.