Germany is considering paying criminal Afghan migrants to return to their homeland. According to Berlin, individuals convicted of violence or deemed a terror threat may receive “travel money” to facilitate their return to Afghanistan. The government announced that it is considering deporting Afghan migrants who pose a security threat. However, this move has sparked controversy, as there is a provision in German law that prohibits sending people back to countries where they face the threat of death. Deportations to Afghanistan were halted after the Taliban took control in 2021. Another “legal obstacle” is if the asylum seekers would suffer extreme poverty in their home country.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that he wants to restart the deportation of serious criminals after a 25-year-old Afghan man severely injured six people at an anti-Islam event in Mannheim. A police officer died from his injuries. The high crime rate among asylum seekers has led to a surge in popularity for the anti-illegal immigration AfD party over the past year. This has become a political issue that clearly presents a significant challenge to the German ruling parties. As a result, Chancellor Scholz has repeatedly assured voters that the deportation of those who deserve it is a priority. Reports indicate that hundreds of Afghans are serving sentences in German prisons, which would be sufficient grounds for the German government to stand firmly in support of its country’s security, not just in words.
Translated and edited by L. Earth
