Almost 6,000 refugees have filed lawsuits against Germany’s immigration authorities, arguing it takes too long to get a decision on asylum applications.
Some immigration offices are so backlogged that asylum seekers have to wait two years on a decision. The chances of being granted asylum are decreasing as Germany imposes stricter regulations, which has led thousands of asylum seekers to take legal action against the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
German magazine Focus reported Monday that around 5,800 lawsuits against BAMF were filed by migrants during the first five months of the year. That number is more than double the 2,300 complaints filed in all of 2015.
Lawsuits have been successful in putting pressure on authorities in the past. A court ruled in favor of a Somalian man in October 2015, saying that BAMF had to compensate the applicant if his application was not processed within a reasonable timeframe.
The man’s application was pending for more than one year, and the court’s ruling stated that applicants should be able to expect decisions within three months. Under extreme circumstances such as the current refugee influx, BAMF can take up to six months processing a request. (RELATED: Refugee Wins Lawsuit Against Germany For Not Processing Him Fast Enough)
More than one million refugees arrived in Germany last year, and an additional 500,000 have come so far in 2016.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.