German lawmaker Beatrix von Storch has called for Germany to accelerate the deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants, arguing that Berlin has the logistical capacity to return rejected asylum seekers and convicted offenders to Afghanistan despite ongoing security and human rights concerns.
Von Storch, a member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and deputy leader of its parliamentary group, made the remarks in a post on X on Saturday, saying the removal of undocumented Afghan migrants from Germany was “a practical necessity.”
She argued that if the German military had been able to airlift thousands of Afghan local staff and vulnerable Afghans to Germany during the 2021 evacuation from Kabul, it should also be able to use military aircraft to deport Afghans whose asylum claims have been rejected or who have committed serious crimes.
Von Storch went further by suggesting that, if necessary, Germany’s navy could be used to facilitate deportations to Afghanistan if doing so proved more efficient or cost-effective.
Her comments come as Germany has resumed deportations to Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Berlin carried out its first deportation flight to Afghanistan in 2024, sending convicted Afghan offenders back through cooperation with third countries, and has since expanded discussions on returning rejected asylum seekers with criminal records.
The policy has become a major issue in German politics ahead of continued debates over migration and internal security. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has defended deportations of individuals who have exhausted legal avenues to remain in Germany or who have been convicted of serious crimes, saying public safety requires stricter enforcement of immigration laws.
However, Germany’s engagement with the Taliban to facilitate deportations has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations, refugee advocates and opposition politicians. Critics argue that cooperation with the Taliban risks legitimizing a government accused by the United Nations of widespread human rights abuses, particularly against women, journalists and former government employees.
International human rights groups continue to warn that Afghanistan remains unsafe for many returnees. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has urged countries not to forcibly return Afghans who may face persecution, arbitrary detention or other serious risks under Taliban rule.
The Taliban have repeatedly said they welcome the return of Afghan nationals and have called on European countries to resume diplomatic engagement. But no European Union member state has formally recognized the Taliban government, and deportations to Afghanistan remain politically and legally contentious across Europe.
