In the first 11 months of 2023, Germany deported a total of 529 Iraqi nationals, encompassing individuals from the Kurdistan Region, according to data obtained by Rudaw’s Zinar Shino from the German Interior Ministry. Among these deportations, only 210 were repatriated directly to Iraq, while others were sent to third countries. The German ministry refuted the existence of specific agreements between Berlin and Baghdad regarding the deportation of asylum seekers and asserted that its deportation procedures adhere to international protocols.

Germany has been a sought-after destination for Kurds and Iraqis aspiring to migrate to Europe. The justice minister for Germany’s Baden-Wurttemberg state, Siegfried Lorek, disclosed in October that 471 Iraqis had been deported, with 77 returning to their countries of initial entry into Germany.

"Some of the Iraqis are granted the right to stay. The ratio of the Iraqis who are granted the right to stay ranges from 20 percent to 25 percent, this means 75 percent must return," Lorek stated.

In January 2023, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sought assistance from Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani in facilitating the return of Iraqi nationals from Germany.

Amidst concerns about the safety of Iraq as a destination for deportations, Gonul Eglence, a member of the regional parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, emphasized in an August interview with Rudaw that Iraqi asylum seekers should not be deported to Iraq due to safety concerns. She pointed out that individuals at risk of political persecution or facing threats to their lives based on religious beliefs are often granted temporary stays instead of deportation.

"Those people will not be deported. Instead, they receive Duldung. That means they can stay temporarily," Eglence explained.

Iraq and the Kurdistan Region witness a significant emigration of tens of thousands of predominantly young individuals each year. Seeking better prospects in Europe, these migrants undertake perilous journeys, navigate smuggling routes, and face life-threatening conditions to reach mainland Europe or the United Kingdom. The ongoing deportation of Iraqi nationals from Germany underscores the complexities and challenges surrounding immigration policies and the humanitarian considerations involved.