Germany tightens restrictions on cash benefits for asylum-seekers amid rising migration numbers

A new rule in Germany has introduced a payment card exclusively for asylum-seekers, limiting cash withdrawals and banning international money transfers. The aim is to prevent migrants from sending money abroad or to smugglers.

In Eichsfeld, Thuringia, 45-year-old Laca from Albania and her family were among the first to receive their government benefits as cashless payments on a plastic card. Laca expressed her satisfaction, stating that she can now buy groceries with the card and use cash for other necessities.

However, not all stores accept the payment card, according to 20-year-old asylum-seeker Jihad Ammuri from Syria. Migrant advocacy groups have criticized the new regulation as discriminatory, claiming it may further ostracize migrants.

Germany has been tightening its approach to migration, with the far-right Alternative for Germany party expected to gain more support in the upcoming European elections. The country has seen a rise in asylum applications, particularly from Syria, Turkey, and Afghanistan.

Lawmakers have approved legislation to ease the deportation of unsuccessful asylum-seekers, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasizing the need to speed up deportations. Germany, along with other European countries, has also classified certain countries as “safe countries of origin,” allowing for quicker rejection and deportation of asylum-seekers from those nations.

The new payment card rule is part of Germany’s broader efforts to manage migration and address public concerns about the influx of asylum-seekers.