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Germany: "Asylum card" controversy

01 March 1996

Reports of the owners of refugee hostel accommodation in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW) issuing computer chip plastic cards to hostel residents have caused controversy in the national press. The cards, issued by the "Soziale Beratungs und Betreuungs-gesellschaft mbH Westfalen-Lippe" (Westfalen-Lippe Social Counselling and Care Company), have to be shown on entering and leaving the hostels and as a precondition to receiving food and other articles such as toothbrushes. According to a spokesperson for the company, the information stored on the card "only serves the protection of the asylum applicant" and "all the data stays in-house". Data protection expert Thilo Weichert, says the storage of such data is "disturbing", particularly in the light of plans currently being considered by the Federal Interior Ministry to introduce just such an "Asylum-Card" at federal level. Under the Federal Interior Ministry asylum applicants will be required to produce a card for purposes of "identification, access and residency control", as well as for "the receipt of items and work permits". The plan has with mixed reactions at individual state level with a spokesperson for the Brandenburg state Interior Ministry, justifying the administration's rejection of the card with the words: "After all, the majority of refugees don't come here to abuse our asylum system". Junge welt, 10 & 11.2.96; Berlin Antiracist Information network, February 1996.