Police – Polizei

The police are responsible for a deportation. They pick up the people who are being deported at their apartment or in the camp. They can come at any time of day, usually very early in the morning. In most cases, deportations can then no longer be prevented. That is why it is important to apply for a right to stay early and not to wait with a Duldung.

In the emergency booklet against deportation (“Notfallkoffer gegen Abschiebung”), we provide more detailed information on what you can do against deportatio: www.bringbackourneighbours.de/notfallkoffer

Police in front of the apartment?

Keep calm! If you are the person that is supposed to be deported, don’t open!

If you are not the person who is supposed to be deported:

• Do not open the door. Try to speak with them via speaker.
• Inform friends/ your lawyer.
• Ask if they have a warrant.
• If they don’t have, they should not enter. Say this!
• They will try to enter anyway. They will tell you, that they only “look around” [“Betreten”], not go through your stuff [“Durchsuchen”]
• If they insist that entering the apartment is legal, then they are halfway right. Let them inside, but verbally voice a complaint [“Widerspruch”]
• If you live in a shared apartment, keep the doors of your roommates closed. Police is not allowed to enter!

What to do afterwards?

• Write down what happened. Do it as much, as soon and as detailled as it is possible for you.
• Please report also to the deportation monitoring from Saxon Refugee Council: www.saechsischer-fluechtlingsrat.de/de/abschiebemonitoring/
• Speak with a lawyer or a counselling center on legal procedures. The difference between “looking around” [Betreten] and “going through stuff” [Durchsuchen] is not well perceived by courts in Germany. There is a chance that you might get compensated AND…you might prevent police in the apartments of others!

Police in the camp?

Preparation counts!

• Find out who got a negative decision by BAMF and is threatened by deportation
• Where are good hiding spots in the camp where one can get quickly?
• Which social workers are good and might support? Speak with them!
• Keep yourself updated about deportation dates! By this you will know when police might enter the camp. Information for example on Twitter, Instagram: @Deport_Alarm or telegram: t.me/deportation_alarm
• If police enters camp, those should hide who are threatened by deportation. Those who are not could provide protection.
• For example by: hiding people. Or by assembling in a huge crowd and filming the police.
• Police is not allowed to search in other rooms for people where they are not living!
• Inform others about deportations and the behavior of police!
• Please report also to the deportation monitoring from Saxon Refugee Council: www.saechsischer-fluechtlingsrat.de/de/abschiebemonitoring/