Schönefeld is planning a controversial asylum center at BER – protests are forming!

Schönefeld is planning a controversial asylum center at BER – protests are forming!

The future of asylum management at BER Airport in Schönefeld is controversial. The majority of the Schönefeld community voted for a development plan that would enable the construction of an entry and exit center for refugees and migrants. This means that the formal requirements for development are met, according to the Interior Ministry. It is planned that the center will be operational by the beginning of 2028, with the task of bundling the processes surrounding the entry and exit of migrants, according to rbb24.

The decision on the center caused a stir in the region. Refugee organizations accuse the project of being a de facto “deportation center,” which puts human dignity at risk. “The votes for the plan are partly responsible for the disenfranchisement of those in need of protection,” emphasizes Lisa Clara Burger from the “We tackle it” association. Over 50 organizations, including human rights associations and church groups, have spoken out against the development plan and are calling for the project to be stopped, reports [moz.de](https://www.moz.de/lokales/koenigs-wusterhausen/flughafen-ber-ab Schiebezentrum-in-schoenefeld-50-organizations-dagegen-78053986.html).

Protests against the project

On Wednesday evening, around 25 people expressed their displeasure with a staged vigil in front of the town hall in Schönefeld. The protesters delivered a statement to the community that was signed by more than 100 organizations. They see the project not only as a problem for those affected, but also as a burden for taxpayers. The private investor who is supposed to build the center is also criticized for bribery. The estimated costs of 315 million euros over a period of 25 years raise questions about how and whether tax money will ultimately be used sensibly, according to rbb24.

The aim of the new center is to speed up asylum procedures, but critics fear the conditions in the planned exit detention center. Further concerns arise from the planned office space that the federal government would like to rent for the Federal Office for Migration and the police. The press spokeswoman for the Schönefeld airport community, Solveig Schuster, explained that the comments already received on the development plan must first be evaluated before a final decision is made.

The political dimension

The topic of asylum and migration is not only hotly debated in Schönefeld. At the federal level, the new federal government is also planning to tighten border controls and increase the number of rejections of asylum seekers at the external borders. These measures are intended to control the situation at the borders even more closely, which leads directly to the discussion about the new center. The coming weeks and months will be crucial to see how the plans will be fleshed out and whether there will be further resistance.

Citizens can submit comments on the development plan until May 20th. Due to the ongoing discussions, a decision on the final resolution could take until after the summer break. It remains to be seen how this will affect public opinion and political decisions.