In Germany, the proportion of foreign nationals among convicted criminals has reached an all-time high. Many German citizens with a migration background obtained their citizenship after arriving in the country. Between 2020 and 2024, around 900,000 people were naturalised. The sharpest rises in crimes committed by immigrants were observed in the categories of “crimes against life” and “violent offences.”

In the past year, the proportion of foreign nationals among convicted criminals in Germany has reached a record high. In 2024, 40.8 per cent of those sentenced by German courts were not German citizens, according to the annual criminal proceedings report recently published by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany.

This figure has been steadily rising over recent years. In 2008, 19.9 per cent of those convicted were non-German citizens, but this had increased to 28.3 per cent by 2015. During the refugee crisis in 2016, the proportion of foreigners among the convicted first exceeded 30 per cent. Eight years later, this number has now surpassed 40 per cent, up from 38.9 per cent the previous year.

In western Germany, the proportions are even higher

Relative to the population, foreigners are significantly overrepresented in the statistics. By the end of 2024, 14.8 per cent of the population did not hold German citizenship.

However, the statistics do not reflect that a significant portion of German offenders have a migration background.

Many German citizens with a migration background acquired their German citizenship after entering the country. Between 2020 and 2024, approximately 900,000 individuals were naturalised in Germany.

There are, however, significant disparities between the federal states. In Bavaria, nearly half of those convicted do not possess German citizenship. In a total of six federal states, the proportion of foreigners exceeds 44 per cent. In contrast, the eastern federal states have the lowest ratios.

Romanians top the statistics, followed by Turks, Poles, Syrians, and Ukrainians.

Many attribute the decline in public safety in Germany to immigration policies. Urban parks are becoming perilous areas for women, schoolyards are turning into places of fear, and public celebrations require concrete barriers for security.

In cases of violent crimes committed by immigrants, the number of German victims is on the rise

According to police statistics released by the BKA, immigrants account for 8.8 per cent of all suspects in crimes committed in Germany, while they represent approximately 3.6 per cent of the population.

Im vergangenen Jahr ist der Anteil der Ausländer unter den verurteilten Straftätern in Deutschland auf ein Rekordniveau gestiegen. Das geht aus dem Jahresbericht zur Strafverfolgung hervor, den das Statistische Bundesamt kürzlich veröffentlicht hat.https://t.co/cRLFnZwmPl pic.twitter.com/iHrUVty6pO

— NIUS (@niusde_) December 31, 2025

The latest report from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) reveals alarming statistics concerning violence committed by foreigners in Germany.

Compared to the previous year, the proportion of asylum seekers and refugees within the population has slightly increased, with the most significant rises observed from Ukraine (+12.3 per cent) and Afghanistan (+7.8 per cent). The number of crimes committed by immigrants has risen once more, particularly in the categories of „crimes against life” (+8.9 per cent) and „violent crimes” (+4.9 per cent).

Regarding perpetrator-victim dynamics, in 2024, German citizens have become victims of violent crimes committed by immigrants far more frequently than vice versa.

„Of the total 118,802 victims of crimes committed by immigrants, 54,533 were German citizens, marking an increase of 3.8 per cent compared to the previous year (2023: 52,535),” the report states.

Immigrants constitute 2.1 per cent of the total population but account for 15.5 per cent of suspects, equating to nearly 27,000 individuals registered as suspects out of approximately 64,000 immigrants from the Maghreb countries (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia) within a year.

Experts indicate that a greater concern for internal security stems from immigrants arriving from key countries of origin (Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq), who display disproportionately high crime rates compared to the local population.

As a result, Syrians and Afghans are ten times more likely to come under police scrutiny for violent crimes than local residents.

Currently, there are no widespread conflicts in any of the aforementioned countries of origin; nevertheless, the number of returnees remains minimal, despite the fact that the reasons for fleeing or seeking asylum have largely diminished.