But, most of all, the deportation, which could become the biggest of its kind in postwar Germany, exposes the central paradox of the country's attitude toward foreigners. To prevent a revival of xenophobic neo-Nazi violence, officials insist, unwanted and undocumented foreigners should be kept out of Germany. But that, in turn, means that the agenda of the far right -- summed up in its slogan, "Foreigners go home" -- is being fulfilled by a Government that says it seeks social peace and justice.

Interior Minister Manfred Kanther, a man of both tough words and strong action, says that such a policy is "the only guarantee against the abuses of uncontrollable movements of immigrants in the future and against popular discontent turning to radical political forces."

That is not how it seems in the hostels and apartment houses here that are so densely and exclusively filled with Vietnamese that some Germans call them ghettos.

"The people are afraid," said Son Vu Van, who runs a counseling service for Vietnamese at another drab housing project nearby. "They are afraid to talk. They are afraid they will be expelled."

A 33-year-old man who lives in Block F declined to be identified because he feared that publicity would draw the immigration authorities' attention to him. "Who knows who will be expelled, or why?" he said. "All we can do is wait and see. There's nothing for us in Vietnam, so no one wants to go. But it's not good here, either."