Osnabrück/Berlin – On June 27, the Bundestag plans to vote on a draft law that would suspend family reunification for those granted subsidiary protection for two years. In concrete terms, this means that many refugee children, young people, and their families will have to live apart for even longer, often for years, without knowing when they will be reunited. The number of visas issued was already limited to 1,000 per month. Following yesterday's deliberations by the Bundestag's Committee on Internal Affairs, it is also clear that the draft law still does not include a transitional provision for people already in the reunification process. The necessary hardship clause has also not been adjusted to meet the needs of those affected.
Terre des Hommes sharply criticizes the proposed legislation: “Families belong together – without ifs, ands, or buts. A suspension of family reunification will particularly harm refugee children and families. It is a disgrace to make symbolic gestures for a supposed shift in migration policy at the expense of these especially vulnerable people,” explains Joshua Hofert, spokesperson for the board of Terre des Hommes . “In recent weeks, numerous volunteers have therefore approached members of parliament with our ‘A Heart for Families’ campaign to demonstrate that family life is a human right.”
To make our demands visible, Terre des Hommes under the motto "Families belong together – against the suspension of family reunification", is supporting a rally of affected families on the eve of the vote together with PRO ASYL, the Federal Association for Minors and Refugees, Youth Without Borders and other organizations:
Thursday, June 26, 2025 | 4 to 6 p.m. | Lawn in front of the Bundestag, Berlin
Further information: www.tdh.de/ein-herz-fuer-familien-kundgebung-in-berlin
We cordially invite media representatives to participate and report on the event. Interviews with those affected and with Terre des Hommes on site are possible.