Germany Reports 51 Percent Drop in Asylum Applications

Germany deported the first individual to Syria since 2011 following a sharp 51 percent drop in asylum applications throughout 2025.Alexander Dobrindt linked the decline to stricter border controls and reduced family reunification amid comments from Friedrich Merz that asylum grounds no longer exist.The policy shift occurs as the EU reports record deportations and the civil war in Syria ends after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.