The Federal Police are increasingly resorting to coercive measures during deportations. According to new figures from the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), the use of restraint aids-including ankle and hand shackles, restraint straps, Velcro bands, head/bite protection, and muzzles-has nearly tripled over the past five years. During the period from January 2025 to May 2026, such physical coercion was used 3,683 times, compared to only 994 cases in 2021.
The issue of failed deportations continues to be significant in Germany, with the number of planned deportations that did not actually proceed far exceeding the number that were successfully completed. Across the country in 2025, 21,438 deportations were carried out, but 34,241 planned returns failed to materialize. This trend persisted in the first five months of the current year, where 7,416 people were deported, while 13,546 planned returns were disrupted.
The most frequent reason cited for these failures is the late handover of persons subject to deportation from the federal states to the Federal Police. In 2025, this contributed to the failure of 21,274 cases. Additionally, 11,064 returns were cancelled by the states before their scheduled time. In the period from January to May 2026, 7,459 individuals were not handed over, and 4,432 cases were cancelled. The Ministry also recorded several other reasons for failed deportations during this time frame: 313 cases of passive resistance, 173 for medical reasons, 136 instances where the country of origin refused to accept the returns, and 119 cases of active resistance.
Manuel Ostermann, Chairman of the Federal Police Union, told “Bild” that coercive measures are only employed when there is an “immediate danger to third parties” posed by the individuals involved. He noted that officers frequently have to transport migrant detainees against their will onto planes, a process he described as producing “dramatic scenes” that strain both the police and the migrants and their families.
Conversely, Amnesty International has criticized the increasing severity of the repatriation process. Nina Alizadeh Marandi, an asylum expert, stated to “Bild” that Amnesty has long observed the rise in the use of coercive measures, arguing that the desire for deportations “at all costs” is causing the process to become increasingly brutal. She warned that this escalation results in shocking and intolerable scenes. Data from the Federal Interior Ministry indicates that since 2025, there have been 21 reported suicide attempts or self-harm incidents.
