German Parliament OKs Law Curbing Asylum-Seekers

BONN — One of the world’s most generous refugee policies passed into history Friday as Germany’s Parliament gave final approval to a law that closes the country to most asylum-seekers.

The new policy becomes law July 1, replacing measures written into the 1949 constitution in atonement for Nazi persecution. It also coincides with European Community discussions on tougher new immigration controls.

The vote could set off a rush of foreigners over the border seeking to beat the deadline. And once the date passes, German airports could be swamped by refugees because immigrants arriving by sea and air have a better chance of staying.

Under the new law, some refugees will stay at airports for up to 14 days while immigration authorities rule whether they qualify for asylum. It will be one of the few remaining routes because land borders will be shut.

“(German) states with international airports will be confronted with huge problems,” Hesse state Gov. Hans Eichel told the Bundesrat, Germany’s upper house of Parliament, which approved the measures Friday.

Since World War II, millions of refugees have been drawn to Germany, which allowed all foreigners to apply for asylum.

The Interior Ministry said 161,320 foreigners requested asylum in the first four months of this year, a 30% jump from the same period last year.