German interior ministry to slash asylum counseling budget, limiting aid to vulnerable applicants

The Federal Ministry of the Interior, headed by Alexander Dobrindt, announced plans to overhaul asylum procedural counseling by discontinuing its existing format and confining assistance to applicants deemed vulnerable. In the draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the ministry seeks to lower the program’s funding from 24.5 million euros to 5 million euros, an approximate 80 percent cut, subject to parliamentary debate.

The proposal cites the June implementation of the Common European Asylum System (Geas), which introduces rapid procedures for migrants considered security risks or unlikely to qualify for asylum. While Geas guarantees free legal information through the Federal Migration Office, it does not create a entitlement to independent counseling by NGOs. Consequently, the ministry argues that support for organizations such as Diakonie, Caritas and AWO can be reduced. Earlier this year, there had even been discussion of eliminating the budget entirely, raising concerns about reduced legal aid for many asylum seekers.