Around 150 vulnerable African refugees, mostly from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia, have arrived in Germany from a camp in Kenya, following a court ruling that overturned government attempts to block their resettlement.
The group landed at Leipzig airport on Friday, in what campaigners described as a significant victory for humanitarian commitments over the hardline immigration stance of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s administration.
The refugees were selected by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, under a programme for those deemed especially vulnerable, unable to return home or remain safely in Kenya. Germany had originally committed to granting them three-year residence permits, with the possibility of permanent stay upon integration.
However, after Merz’s election victory in April 2025, the interior ministry suspended the scheme. A planned flight carrying 190 people was cancelled at the last minute in May, prompting legal action by the advocacy group Pro Asyl on behalf of affected individuals.
In October, a Berlin court ordered the admission of a South Sudanese woman and her five relatives. The ruling prompted the ministry, led by interior minister Alexander Dobrindt, to extend entry to the remaining refugees.
Helen Rezene of Pro Asyl welcomed the arrivals but criticised the government’s initial stance. “The last-minute cancellation was not only heartless but illegal,” she said. “Under this administration, upholding refugee commitments and basic humanity has to be fought for in court.”
The decision marks another setback for Merz and Dobrindt’s pledge to toughen immigration controls. On the same day, Dobrindt announced Germany would accept 535 Afghans awaiting resettlement in Pakistan, despite months of efforts to avoid doing so.
More than 120,000 people applied for asylum in Germany between January and September this year, amid ongoing debates over migration policy in Europe.
