In what critics on the populist right and left decry as a profound betrayal of its working and middle-class citizens, Germany’s globalist governments have been revealed to have shelled out billions of dollars into supporting welfare-dependent asylum seekers and illegal migrants, even as everyday Germans grapple with skyrocketing living costs, crumbling infrastructure, and eroding public services.
Newly released figures, reported by German portal NIUS, underscore the scale of the expenditure. Since 2015—the start of a decade marked by large-scale migration to Europe and Germany from the Middle East and Africa—unaccompanied minor asylum seekers have cost German taxpayers at least €12.2 billion ($14.2 billion)
Nationalist-conservative lawmakers warn that the astonishing figure is likely an undercount, with several federal states withholding or providing incomplete data, hindering full transparency and oversight.
Over the past decade, nearly 190,000 such ‘minors’ have been registered, with their care proving far costlier than for adults due to specialized needs like housing, medical services, language courses, education, and youth welfare. In some regions, annual costs per minor soar to nearly €100,000 ($116,000), while even conservative estimates hover above €80,000 ($93,000)—figures that have stunned taxpayers witnessing cuts social programs that benefit actual citizens.
“This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about priorities,” said one opposition lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “While pensioners and low-income families see their safety nets fray, the government has essentially created a lavish parallel welfare system for newcomers, leaving many Germans feeling abandoned.”
The bulk of these unaccompanied minors are teenage boys from places like Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq, comprising over 85% of arrivals in certain states.
Compounding the financial strain is chain migration, where recognized minors can sponsor family members, extending costs well beyond initial outlays. State youth offices have expanded into vast networks reliant on ongoing migrant inflows, sustaining taxpayer-funded jobs in sectors tied to migration management.
AfD lawmaker René Springer blasted the situation, arguing that the government’s failure to provide complete figures on unaccompanied minor arrivals is “nothing short of a scandal.” He said taxpayers deserve full transparency, especially when more than €12 billion has already been spent.
Springer also pointed to the unusually high number of minors claiming birthdays on January 1st or December 31st, calling it a pattern that “naturally raises questions about intentional misrepresentation.”
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel echoed the criticism in a post on X, warning that the €12.2 billion price tag over nine years is “exorbitant” and made worse by CDU-led states that offer no usable data. She urged an immediate end to the “asylum chaos” to ease the growing financial pressure on German taxpayers.
Mindestens 12,2 Mrd. Euro in 9 Jahren: Kosten für “unbegleitete minderjährige” Asylbewerber sprengen jeden Rahmen, während vor allem CDU-Bundesländer gar keine Zahlen benennen können. Asylchaos sofort beenden, Steuerzahler entlasten! https://t.co/uG24uci0eM
— Alice Weidel (@Alice_Weidel) December 2, 2025
Data inconsistencies plague the system—and undermine its credibility—even more, with some states delaying billing by two to three years, complicating budgeting and accountability. Alternative for Germany (AfD) officials have lambasted this opacity, demanding “full clarity for taxpayers on these billions vanishing into the asylum apparatus.”
For many working-class Germans, the contrast could not be more stark. Families contend with soaring rent, rising cost of living, and limited childcare, while schools, hospitals, and housing initiatives remain overburdened by the never-ending stream of migration from the Third World.
“How can the government summon endless funds for migrants but claim austerity for us?” asked Maria Schultz, a Berlin factory worker and mother of two, echoing widespread sentiment that globalist elites are completely out of touch with the economic realities of working people.
As public frustration mounts, costs escalate, and the political and economic system becomes increasingly untenable, Germany stands at a crossroads. Will leaders realign to safeguard the nation’s working and middle classes, or persist on a path that risks further eroding trust and stability? The debate intensifies, with calls for accountability growing louder amid an ongoing reckoning over the true cost of compassion.