German politician Dobrindt advocates for the accepted arrival of Afghans

In a week marked by significant developments, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has been at the forefront of addressing pressing immigration matters.

During the Federal Government's Open Day, Dobrindt acknowledged that the issue of immigration has been neglected for years. He emphasised his commitment to addressing this issue, particularly in the context of the Afghanistan intake program.

Approximately 2,000 Afghans, who have campaigned for democratic rights or have worked as local forces for the Bundeswehr or for German organisations, are considered endangered due to their status. These individuals, along with their family members, were promised admission by the previous traffic light government.

However, the process has been slow, with around 210 of the 2,000 people having been deported back to their home country by Pakistan this week. Dobrindt rejected criticism about the delay, stating that he will not waive regular intake procedures or security checks.

Lars Castellucci, the Federal Government's Human Rights Commissioner from the SPD, has urged the Interior Ministry and the Foreign Office to expedite the intake of endangered Afghans from Pakistan. Castellucci demanded that anyone who receives a legally binding promise of entry to Germany under the Federal Afghanistan intake program should also receive their visa promptly. He wrote on the X platform that the slow pace of checks in the case of the Afghanistan intake program does not meet the criteria of an orderly and humanitarian migration policy.

Dobrindt, in response, asked his employees to return to work on site and conduct intake procedures, including security checks. He mentioned that the process may take months, not weeks, to ensure maximum security.

Since the German embassy in Kabul has been closed since the fall of Afghanistan to the Islamic Taliban in 2021, the individuals are undergoing the procedure in Pakistan. The black-red coalition, to which Dobrindt and Castellucci both belong, has agreed on an orderly and humanitarian migration policy.

Dobrindt referred to the traffic light coalition as an inherited problem, indicating that the issues with the Afghanistan intake program were not solely his responsibility. Despite the challenges, Dobrindt remains steadfast in his commitment to ensuring a secure and orderly migration policy.