The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees as part of Germany’s security architecture , format: Article, area: Authority

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees is an important pillar of Germany’s security architecture. There is close, trusted cooperation between the Federal Office and the security authorities of the Federal Government and the Länder. The Federal Office forms an important interface between German security authorities and law enforcement authorities and is constantly in touch with both authorities. Refugees or foreigners who pose a threat to the Federal Republic of Germany or to public security need to be identified as promptly as possible and the possibilities under the Asylum Act and Residence Act need to be leveraged as threat prevention.

GTAZ

The Joint Counter-Terrorism Centre (Gemeinsame Terrorismusabwehrzentrum (GTAZ)) was established in Berlin in 2004 to ensure a rapid and direct exchange of information between all the relevant actors in a bid to improve operational work in the fight against Islamist terrorism.

GTAZ pools the expertise of around 40 German security authorities, including the experts on asylum and foreigners law and the psychological, pedagogical and phenomenological expertise of the Federal Office in the field of de-radicalisation. On the basis of Section 75 no. 11 of the Residence Act, among other things, the Federal Office participates in the exchange of information in various working groups of the Joint Counter-Terrorism Centre, thereby making an important contribution to safeguarding public security.

GETZ

Modelled on the Joint Counter-Terrorism Centre (GTAZ), the Joint Centre for Countering Extremism and Terrorism (Gemeinsamen Terrorismusabwehrzentrum (GETZ)) was established in Cologne in 2012. GETZ is the communication platform used by the security authorities at federal and state level for combating right-wing, left-wing and foreigner extremism and terrorism as well as counterintelligence.

GASIM

The Joint Centre for Illegal Migration Analysis and Policy (Gemeinsame Analyse- und Strategiezentrum illegale Migration (GASIM)) as a permanent inter-agency cooperation platform, is tasked with enabling the holistic analysis and evaluation of the phenomenon of irregular migration. The findings of the authorities involved are compiled and evaluated at GASIM.

The Federal Police (BPOL), the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), the Financial Control Section of the Federal Customs Administration (FKS), the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), the Federal Foreign Office (AA) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) work very closely at GASIM. The latter is based at the Federal Police Headquarters in Potsdam.