Germany is set to open a new migrant processing center in Eisenhüttenstadt, close to the Polish border, to handle asylum seekers who are to be returned to Poland under European Union regulations. This move is part of Germany’s efforts to enforce the Dublin Regulation, which mandates that asylum seekers must be processed in the first EU country they register in. The center is scheduled to begin operations on March 1, according to reports from News.Az, citing TVP World.
Dubbed a “Dublin center,” the facility will serve as a central hub for migrants awaiting deportation to Poland. The agreement to establish this center was reached between the German federal government and the eastern state of Brandenburg, which shares a border with Poland. Authorities believe this facility will streamline the deportation process and reduce the number of irregular migrants who remain in Germany despite being subject to return orders.
Brandenburg’s interior minister, Katrin Lange, confirmed that the facility will house between 150 and 250 individuals across two buildings. She emphasized that consolidating Dublin cases in a single location will make the deportation process more efficient. “Due to the proximity to the Polish border, they can be returned there quickly,” Lange stated. The new center is expected to ease administrative burdens while ensuring compliance with EU migration policies.
Despite Poland’s agreement to accept most returnees, concerns remain that many migrants eventually re-enter Germany. An anonymous judge cited by Bild warned that a significant number of deported asylum seekers find ways to return, complicating the enforcement of the Dublin Regulation. To address this issue, Germany’s federal interior minister, Nancy Faeser, has proposed restricting benefits for Dublin returnees.
Under the new policy, asylum seekers processed at the Dublin center will no longer receive standard welfare payments. Instead, they will be provided only with basic necessities such as “bed, bread, and soap.” Faeser argues that limiting benefits will serve as a deterrent and encourage migrants to comply with deportation orders rather than attempting to re-enter Germany. She also called for a more efficient system to remove asylum seekers whose claims are rejected under Dublin rules.
The move has sparked debate among human rights organizations and migrant advocacy groups, who argue that restricting benefits could place vulnerable individuals at greater risk. Critics also question whether the policy will be effective in reducing repeated re-entries. Meanwhile, supporters of the plan argue that Germany must enforce EU asylum policies to prevent unauthorized migration and ease pressure on public resources.
As Germany prepares to implement these changes, the effectiveness of the new deportation center remains to be seen. Authorities hope that centralizing deportations and limiting benefits will discourage irregular migration and ensure that asylum rules are properly enforced. However, the broader implications for migrant rights and cross-border cooperation with Poland could become points of contention in the months ahead.