German Parliament passes tougher migrant measures

BERLIN – Germany’s Parliament has passed new measures making it easier to deport migrants whose asylum applications have been denied, and monitor and control those deemed dangerous.

In a law passed late Thursday night, Germany’s migration agency will be allowed to evaluate cellphone data of migrants who arrive without proper documents, and permitted to share data with other authorities in situations considered dangerous.

Deportations will also be sped up under the new law, and authorities will be allowed to detain individuals who are awaiting deportation for up to 10 days, from an original four, if they’re deemed dangerous. Dangerous individuals facing deportation can also now be monitored with electronic ankle bracelets.

The measures are a reaction to December’s deadly Christmas market attack in Berlin by a rejected asylum seeker awaiting deportation.