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Wetteraukreis: Decline in refugees and dwindling living space!
The Wetteraukreis provides information about the current refugee situation, voluntary support and a lack of housing.
Wetteraukreis: Decline in refugees and dwindling living space!
The situation of refugees in the Wetterau has changed significantly in recent years. District Administrator Jan Weckler and district councilor Marion Götz recently thanked the dedicated refugee helpers who have provided tireless support over a decade. Thanks to their help, there is no longer an emergency and the number of new arrivals has noticeably decreased. In 2022, 4,900 refugees were registered, in 2023 there were only 2,600 and only 1,500 new arrivals are expected in 2024. Around 512 refugees are expected this year, which represents a clear decline. FNP reports that the main countries of origin for refugees are Afghanistan, Ukraine and Syria.
The situation on site presents special challenges. The region's only initial reception facility, the Ray Barracks in Friedberg, offers an initial health check as well as support with administrative procedures, such as opening an account. The refugees are then moved to other shared accommodation. The capacity in the Wetterau district is a total of 3,550 places, of which around 70 percent are currently occupied. This is of great importance because as of September 30th there are 7,248 refugees living in the region, 4,709 of them from Ukraine alone.
Challenges and solutions
The distribution of refugees within the Wetterau district shows a colorful mix: 34% come from Afghanistan, 14% from Ukraine and 10% from Syria, followed by other countries of origin such as Turkey and Somalia. While the immigration authorities have successfully digitized the admission processes, the need for living space remains high. Around 60% of dormitory residents with residence status are urgently looking for an apartment, which underlines the urgency of the situation.
In order to address these challenges, District Administrator Weckler and Götz have launched an “Integration Action Plan”. Zeyneb Nazan Isfen coordinates the measures in the Migration Control Department, which is part of the Youth and Social Affairs Department. The aim is also to hold an integration conference at which those affected, schools, adult education providers and employers will come together to find solutions and advance integration.
Accompanying offers and criticism
At the same time, there are some additional offers for refugees. The job center actively supports you in looking for work during language lessons. Particular attention is being paid to the introduction of the payment card for refugees, of which 320 cards have already been issued. This speeds up access to financial resources, but has also raised critical voices: Some employees find the effort unnecessary and the costs high.
In addition, there is an urgent need for language courses and therapy places, especially for traumatized refugees. From summer 2026, underage refugees with a residence permit will also receive a health insurance card to make it easier to access medical care.
In summary, it can be seen that the Wetterau district is in a growing area of tension between falling numbers of refugees and an acute shortage of living space. The coming months will show to what extent the measures taken can have an impact and whether the region can demonstrate a good hand with new approaches to integration. Wetteraukreis.de reports about the structured support of refugees and the further steps necessary to improve the situation.