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PRESS RELEASE

On the entry into force of the CEAS reform

Terre des Hommes warns against expanding detention and detention-like accommodation for refugee children

Berlin/Osnabrück, June 11, 2026 – With the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) reform coming into force on June 12, Terre des Hommes of significant risks to the rights of refugee children and young people in Germany and the European Union.

is particularly critical Terre des Hommes of the so-called secondary migration centers provided for in the German CEAS Adaptation Act, where families with children can be housed for extended periods.

“For children, it makes no difference whether accommodation is legally classified as detention or as a detention-like measure. What matters is their lived reality,” says Joshua Hofert, spokesperson for the board of Terre des Hommes. “Large and remote facilities promote isolation and can significantly impair children’s development.”

The organization cites experiences from European projects showing that restrictive accommodation makes school attendance more difficult, hinders the processing of experiences of flight, and can exacerbate psychological stress.

is also critical Terre des Hommes of the implementation of the reform in Germany. According to the organization, questions remain regarding cooperation between the asylum system and child and youth welfare services. "If the responsibility of child and youth welfare services is not clearly defined, there is a risk that particularly vulnerable children will fall through the cracks," Joshua Hofert continued.

With regard to the planned EU Returns Regulation, the organization also warns against deporting minors to third countries outside the European Union with which the children in question have had no previous connection.

Terre des Hommes calls on the federal government, the states, and the relevant authorities to consistently utilize existing leeway in the implementation of the CEAS reform in the best interests of the child. This includes child-friendly accommodation, access to independent legal representation, and a clear integration of child and youth welfare services in the care of refugee minors.

Demands from Terre des Hommes

  • No detention of children and young people in the context of asylum and migration procedures.
  • Abandonment of detention-like accommodation for families with children.
  • Ensuring child-friendly accommodation and care.
  • Independent legal representation for unaccompanied minors

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