Pushing for Aggressive Deportations to Afghanistan and Syria
German state officials are clamoring for more forceful expulsions, particularly to Afghanistan and Syria, after an individual was sent back to Afghanistan in 2021. They believe this shouldn't be an isolated incident. However, this call has met with resistance from the Green party.
Multiple federal states have supported the first deportation aircraft to Afghanistan post the Taliban takeover back in 2018. Representatives from Bavaria, Hesse, and Baden-Württemberg have urged the federal government to initiate larger-scale expulsions to Afghanistan and Syria, not just for criminal offenders, but also in the long term.
Last Tuesday, the federal government announced the deportation of 28 offenders. This marked the resumption of expulsions to Afghanistan since August 2021, when the radical Islamic Taliban seized power.
"Criminals and foreigners who commit severe offenses within our country must leave," asserted Hesse's Minister-President Boris Rhein. "I urge the federal government to facilitate more deportations of culprits and dangerous individuals," stated the CDU politician. Rhein's party companion, Hesse's Interior Minister Roman Poseck, advocated for "returns of Syrian refugees, regardless of whether they have committed crimes or not," in the long term.
Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Hermann emphasized that "it's high time that the federal government takes action." Hermann criticized the delay in deportations due to concerns, especially from the Greens. He expressed hope that this isn't only a one-time gesture by the federal government and that swift returns to both Afghanistan and Syria are now crucial. According to Hermann, there are still at least 174 Afghan and 203 Syrian offenders in Bavaria who "need to leave the country as quickly as possible."
Baden-Württemberg's migration state secretary, Siegfried Lorek of the CDU, also voiced the need for the federal government to enable more deportations to Afghanistan and Syria. Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier of the SPD also insisted, "We must significantly step up deportations." This action, according to Maier, reflects "the strength of a legal rule-based state."
However, the co-leader of the Greens, Omid Nouripour, offered a more cautious view. "Mass deportations are not feasible," Nouripour clarified. "Such actions require direct cooperation with foreign governments - cooperation that is not realistic with the Taliban and other extremist regimes," he pointed out. Nouripour emphasized that the actions of the security authorities must be based on the law and must withstand judicial scrutiny.
Amnesty International, a human rights group, harshly criticized the deportation to Afghanistan. "Human rights are for everyone, and no one should be sent back to a country where they risk being tortured," said Julia Duchrow, Secretary General of Amnesty International Germany. Duchrow expressed concern that the German government is ignoring its commitments and has deported individuals to Afghanistan.
The debate about human rights and the risk of torture in deportation destinations has been sparked by the recent expulsion to Afghanistan, as well as the subsequent calls for more. This discussion could potentially lead to a divide among political parties regarding immigration policies.
Insights:
State officials in Germany are primarily advocating for increased deportations due to security concerns, perceived integration issues, and political pressure. Critics, on the other hand, argue that such measures are legally and morally flawed, citing human rights concerns, the complexity of deportation processes, the lack of diplomatic relations, and ethical implications.
