Germany quickens expulsions to Afghanistan

Germany Restarts Afghan Deportations Amid Migration Crackdown

81 Convicts Repatriated as Berlin Signals Hard Line

Berlin’s new administration resumed deportations to Afghanistan on Friday, transferring 81 Afghan men convicted of crimes to their Taliban‑controlled homeland. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government portrayed the move as a definitive shift toward stricter immigration policy, following a cessation of expulsions in 2021 after the Taliban’s return to power.

• Number of Deportees: 81 Afghan men convicted of crimes
• Timing: Flight bound for Afghanistan departed on Friday morning
• Prior Expulsion: 28 Afghan convicts expelled by former SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz last year

Diplomatic Context

Germany had suspended flights to Afghanistan and closed its Kabul embassy following the Taliban’s ascendancy. The recent operation was executed with Doha’s cooperation, reflecting Berlin’s indirect engagement with Taliban authorities via third parties.

International Reaction

• UN Call: United Nations urged a halt to forcible returns of Afghan refugees, citing risks of persecution, arbitrary detention, or torture.
• Amnesty International: Criticized the deportations, labeling Afghanistan’s security environment as catastrophic and highlighting common occurrences of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, and torture.

Merz Defends Expulsions

At a press conference, Chancellor Merz asserted gratitude for fulfilling a promise made upon entering government. He stressed that all deported individuals lacked residence status and that asylum applications were legally rejected without further recourse.

Broader Immigration Measures

• Border Control: Strengthening border oversight.
• Family Reunification: Limiting rights for certain refugee families.
• European Collaboration: Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt convened Austrian, Danish, Czech, French, and Polish counterparts alongside EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner to bolster European migration policy.

Political Landscape

Germany’s far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to historic heights, capturing over 20 percent of the national vote in February. The party’s rise, coupled with high‑profile attacks involving asylum seekers—including several from Afghanistan—has intensified the country’s focus on immigration reform. The CDU/CSU‑SPD coalition pledges further criminal expulsions and a rigorous approach to irregular migration.

Future Outlook

German authorities also engaged with Syrian officials to enable reinstatement of deportations to Syria, a suspension that had loomed since 2012. With the Assad regime toppled and Islamist leaders in power, the country now presents new challenges for international security and human rights.