PRO ASYL Press Release
13. February 2003
Immigration Act: Broad alliance demands improvements
Tomorrow session of Upper House (Bundesrat): PRO ASYL fears regress to stone age of migration policy
- Zuwanderungsgesetz: Breites Bündnis fordert Verbesserungen
Morgige Bundesratssitzung: PRO ASYL befürchtet Rückfall in die migrationspolitische Steinzeit - Immigration Act: Broad alliance demands improvements
Tomorrow session of Upper House (Bundesrat): PRO ASYL fears regress to stone age of migration policy
INFO
(partially translated)
This is a machine translation by the IBM-supported PERSONAL TRANSLATOR plus. It is slightly edited by combining its results with the translation of SYSTRAN. But you should not rely on it. If you want to use a translated text append or reference the original text.
A broad alliance of welfare organizations, associations of judges and lawyers and human rights organisations demand far-reaching improvements in the Immigration Act. In 35 topics the organizations are formulating their expectations to the legislation process. International instruments, as the Geneva Refugee Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights and the of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child aren’t still implemented in national law without reservations. The hurdles for the attainment of a residence licence are so high for many group, that they cannot clear them. A regulation on a right to setlle is missing for people with long-standing stay. The access to the labor market is unsatisfactorily regulated.
In view of over 100 amendments proposed, which have been submitted to the Upper House (Bundesrat) dominated by the Christian Democrats in order to be passed tomorrow, PRO ASYL fears a „regress to the stone age of migration policy“. The Red-Green Federal Government had started, in order to initiate a reform project. Now the goals are threatening to turn to the exact opposite. The few absolutely positive elements of the immigration law, like the recognition of non-governmental and gender specific persecution and the introduction of a ruling of hardship cases, are to be cut. If Red-Green will give way to these ideas of the Christian Democrats, it would continue to isoloate itself still further on EU level.
- In addition the valid Aliens Act shall be intensified drastically in far parts: Coercive detention: A coercive detention lasting until 1 ½ years shall be possible additional to the pre-deportation detention and the accommodation in departure facilities, in order to force the departure.
- Act on Benefits for Asylum Seekers: Lowered benefits according to the so-called Act on Benefits for Asylum Seekers shall be possible in future for an indefinite period. A supply below the most minimal standard of the welfare state would become binding permanently thereby.
