On May 28, 2025, the German Cabinet approved draft bills that propose significant restrictions on family reunification for specific groups of refugees, particularly those with subsidiary protection status.

The measures, led by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the Christian Social Union (CSU), are part of a broader shift in Germany's migration policy.

The legislative proposals now await approval from the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany’s parliament.

Subsidiary protection is granted to individuals who do not qualify for asylum or full refugee status but are permitted to stay in Germany due to the risk of serious harm in their countries of origin, such as threats of torture, inhumane treatment, or armed conflict.

Currently, there are approximately 388,074 individuals under this status in Germany, with around 75% originating from Syria, based on government statistics.

Under the new proposals, subsidiary protectees would be prohibited from bringing close relatives, such as spouses and minor children, to Germany for a period of two years, with limited provisions for hardship cases, which are not explicitly defined in the bill.

Previously, since August 2018, a maximum of 1,000 family members per month were allowed to join those with subsidiary protection status, equating to an annual cap of about 12,000.

Speaking about the motivations behind these measures, Dobrindt stated that the goal is to reduce 'pull factors' for migration to Germany, indicating a societal expectation for changes in immigration policy.

He noted that local governments are increasingly strained by the demands of integrating newcomers and managing their housing.

These legislative changes echo prior suspensions of family reunification for refugees, which occurred between March 2016 and July 2018, justified at the time as necessary to prevent overburdening the infrastructure for asylum seekers.

Critics of the proposed measures, including human rights organizations such as Pro Asyl, argue that these restrictions could exacerbate the emotional and psychological strains on families separated by bureaucratic delays.

They contend that such policies diminish safe and legal pathways for asylum seekers and may lead to increased irregular migration.

In the context of the broader immigration landscape, around 229,751 new asylum applications were submitted in Germany last year.

Under new statistical analysis, approximately eight percent of family reunification visas issued from 2018 to 2024 were administered to relatives of individuals with subsidiary protection.

The debate surrounding family reunification for subsidiary protectees highlights complex questions of legal rights, humanitarian obligations, and the implications of altering migration policies in response to perceived integration challenges.

The German government’s ongoing shifts in immigration law reflect a critical juncture in balancing humanitarian responsibilities with domestic pressures related to migration and integration.