Toughening Up Deportations: A Call for Aggressive Removals to Afghanistan and Syria
German authorities are pushing for a more assertive approach towards deportations, particularly focusing on Afghanistan and Syria, following a 2021 case. This stance, however, faces opposition from the Green party.
Many federal states back the inaugural post-Taliban takeover aircraft departure to Afghanistan in 2018. Politicians from Bavaria, Hesse, and Baden-Württemberg have urged the federal government to ramp up widespread deportations to Afghanistan and Syria, not strictly limiting them to criminal offenders but addressing long-term issues as well.
Last week, the federal government announced the expulsion of 28 offenders. This move reinstated deportations to Afghanistan since August 2021 when the Taliban seized power.
"Criminals and foreigners guilty of serious offenses in our country should be removed," stated Hesse's Minister-President Boris Rhein. He implored the federal government to make arrangements for speedier deportations of miscreants and potentially dangerous individuals. His fellow CDU party member, Hesse's Interior Minister Roman Poseck, voiced support for "the return of Syrian refugees, whether they have committed crimes or not," in the long run.
Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Hermann emphasized the need for immediate action from the federal government. He criticized the delay in deportations, primarily due to concerns especially from the Greens, and expressed hope that this is not a temporary measure but a definitive change in policy concerning Afghanistan and Syria. According to Hermann, Bavaria still houses at least 174 Afghan and 203 Syrian offenders who should be swiftly expelled from the country.
Baden-Württemberg's migration state secretary, Siegfried Lorek of the CDU, echoed the call for increased deportations to Afghanistan and Syria. Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier of the SPD also emphasized the necessity of beefing up deportations. This action, according to Maier, symbolizes "the strength of a legal rule-based state."
However, the co-leader of the Greens, Omid Nouripour, expressed caution. "Mass removals are not feasible," Nouripour argued. "Such actions necessitate cooperation with foreign governments -- cooperation that is unfeasible with the Taliban and other radical regimes," he pointed out. Nouripour emphasized the importance of ensuring that the actions of the security authorities align with the law and stand up to judicial scrutiny.
Human rights group Amnesty International has criticized the Afghanistan deportation. "Human rights are for everyone, and no one should be sent back to a country where they face persecution or harm," said Julia Duchrow, Secretary General of Amnesty International Germany. Duchrow expressed concern that the German government is disregarding its obligations by deporting individuals to Afghanistan.
The debate about human rights, the prospect of torture in deportation destinations, and the implications for immigrant policies might lead to a divide among political parties.
Additional Insights:
State officials in Germany are primarily advocating for enhanced deportations due to security concerns, perceived integration challenges, and political pressure. Critics, however, argue that such measures are legally and ethically flawed, citing human rights concerns, the complexity of deportation procedures, lack of diplomatic relations, and potentially unscrupulous outcomes.
Related Reading:
- Germany's Constitution and the Principle of Non-Refoulement:
- The Refugee Convention of 1951 and its Protocol of 1967:
- United Nations Documents on Afghan Refugees Deported from Neighboring Countries:
- Vulnerable Groups and the Impact of Deportations:
