Overview
- The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees expanded checks in mid‑June and in the first half of 2026 about 1,900 of 8,320 reviews ended with protection withdrawn or revoked, a jump from roughly 3–4 percent in 2024–25.
- German officials say the legal basis for revocation is that protection can end if country conditions have 'fundamentally' changed, while withdrawals apply when status was granted on false or erroneous information.
- Practical deportations to Syria have stayed very low despite the rise in revocations, with the government reporting three forced returns to Syria in the first half of 2026.
- State return programmes have increased: about 9,276 people left Germany with federal support in H1 2026 and 2,843 of those returns went to Syria under the REAG/GARP scheme that pays travel costs and a cash 'start' payment.
- The policy shift is politically contested and legally fraught as many Syrians hold permanent titles or citizenship and affected people are filing challenges; watchdogs warn pressure to return risks unsafe or unplanned relocations and could strain Syrian recovery capacity.