Political Asylum in the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of France: Lessons for the United States

The recent flood of asylum claims, and the concerns it engenders, are not peculiar to the United States. Western European nations have witnessed similar increases in asylum applications over the past decade, .and institutions charged with adjudicating claims have become severely overburdened. This Article will describe the experience of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of France in coping with the explosion of asylum claims. A comparative analysis may provide perspective on the American situation and perhaps suggest – or rule out – proposals for change currently under consideration in the United States. To appreciate the saliency of the German and French experiences, it is first necessary to review in greater detail the asylum process in this country.