About the city

Bremen

Reducing the number of deportations

Key Takeaways

  • 1

    Bremen has reduced its number of deportations to well below the national average by instructing the immigration office to focus on exhausting possibilities for granting a residence permit whenever legally possible.

  • 2

    The city has been home to anti-racist movements in the city since the 1970s. In cooperation with a progressive government coalition, these have been essential drivers of political change.

What is unique about Bremen?

Successful interplay between politics and social movements: The story of Bremen shows how interactions between political actors and social movements can have positive political-cultural consequences, and are of great importance for the “Solidarity Cities” movement today. The city has introduced a number of pioneering programmes, notably a nation-leading scheme providing better access to healthcare for asylum seekers and undocumented migrants.

What are the greatest achievements so far?

Significantly reduced deportations: Since 2010, the immigration office has been concentrating its efforts on granting residence permits where possible rather than on deportations. As a result, the rate of deported migrants is significantly below the national average. Undocumented migrant families in Bremen also have the right to access education.

What are the key factors?

Anti-racist work pays off: For many years, Bremen has been a place where an active anti-racist civil society has shown direct, political and practical solidarity with refugees – and has lobbied the state government to do so as well. It has been able to record increasing success, especially since the Greens joined the state government in 2007.

Political activities and advocacy beyond the city level

Bremen is an active member of several city networks and joined Solidarity Cities in 2018. That same year, the city took a public stance against the criminalisation of sea rescue and declared itself a ‘city of safe harbours'. Bremen has also tried to lobby for a more inclusive migration policy at the national level.

Member of the following networks

Download the full city report

The city report contains more information about the city’s migration and inclusion policies and selected local approaches. Report from 2021, updated in 2023.

Download Report