Germany takes action to lessen the deportation of foreign nationals who support terrorism

On Wednesday, the German government introduced new laws aimed at making it easier to remove foreign nationals who openly support terrorist activities. A single social media remark could legally be the basis for evicting someone.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged the action that the Cabinet authorized in response to a knife attack that occurred last month on members of a group that identifies as fighting “political Islam” and resulted in the death of a police officer. This happens as Scholz’s administration is under increased pressure to reduce immigration.

According to the Interior Ministry, there will be changes made to the residence law such that endorsing or encouraging “a single terrorist crime” will result in a “particularly serious interest in expulsion.” This implies that one remark that “glorifies and endorses a terrorist crime on social media” may in the future be grounds for removal.

A conviction would not be necessary for expulsion if someone openly supports an offense “in a manner which is suited to causing a disturbance of the public peace.” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that liking a social media post would not be sufficient justification for deportation.

Faeser claimed that the Mannheim incident “also was glorified on the net by many in the most appalling way” and that social media users in Germany had “celebrated in a repugnant way” Hamas’ actions during its attack on Israel on October 7.

Faeser continued, “Such online brutalization fosters a violent environment that can inspire extremists to commit new acts of violence.” Thus, it’s quite evident to me that Islamist extremists with mindsets rooted in the Stone Age have no place in our nation. It must be able to eject and deport anyone who praises terrorist activities here but does not possess a German passport.

She expressed her confidence that lawmakers will quickly approve the modification and her opinion that it does not violate any rules pertaining to freedom of speech.

There is constant pressure on the government to lower the number of migrants entering and remaining in Germany. Legislators passed laws earlier this year with the goal of facilitating the repatriation of rejected asylum seekers.

Simultaneously, the socially liberal administration of Scholz is loosening the requirements for naturalization and lifting the prohibitions on dual citizenship. The plan’s supporters claim it will improve immigrant integration and draw in skilled labor, but opponents, conservatives, claim it devalues German citizenship.

The new naturalization law, which goes into force on Thursday, was defended by Faeser.

According to the law, applicants for naturalization must be able to provide for their families as well as themselves. A commitment to the “free democratic fundamental order” is a prerequisite for citizenship under the current law, and the amended version makes it clear that acts of racism and antisemitism are incompatible with this.