Germany’s controversial Afghan admissions program has come under fierce scrutiny after a bombshell report revealed that only one in eight arrivals underwent full security vetting before stepping onto German soil.
According to Bild, more than 31,000 Afghans—including thousands of family members—entered Germany through protection schemes without thorough background checks, exposing gaping holes in the government’s screening process. Initially, Berlin had insisted these arrivals were mainly local aides who once worked alongside German forces against the Taliban. In reality, that claim now appears full of holes.
Take one recent chartered flight as a grim example: out of 157 Afghans onboard, just two were actually former Bundeswehr collaborators, with 13 of their family members tagging along. The rest? They fell under broader humanitarian programs, like the Federal Admission Program (BAP), aimed at helping Afghans supposedly committed to democratic values.
Police unions aren’t holding back. Germany’s federal police association (DPolG) has sounded the alarm for months, demanding a complete halt to the flights from Islamabad. Last month, they even fired off a warning letter to outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Heiko Teggatz, head of DPolG, didn’t mince words: “Issuing travel IDs to foreigners without bulletproof identity checks is reckless and downright dangerous—especially with the current Islamist terror threat looming over Europe.”
Now, calls are growing louder for a “Soko Asyl”—a special asylum task force—to comb through every single case. The mission? Re-screen and, if necessary, deport anyone who fails to verify their identity or poses a risk.
Federal Police Union Vice President Manuel Ostermann was blunt: “Anyone who didn’t clear full security must either head back to Islamabad or, if needed, be deported directly to Afghanistan unless they can provide solid ID documents and pass a fresh security check.”
Conservative politicians, eyeing a return to power in Berlin, aren’t letting this slip by unnoticed. CDU and CSU leaders blasted the current government for putting ideology ahead of national security.
Manfred Pentz, Hesse’s Minister for International Affairs, didn’t hold back: “This is outrageous. At a time when Germany’s grappling with migration pressures and rising violent crime linked to some asylum seekers, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s blind ideological policies endangered us all.”
Echoing those concerns, Alexander Hoffmann of the CSU demanded the immediate shutdown of the Afghan admissions programs, while CDU MP Christoph de Vries warned incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Germany’s safety must come first—no ifs, ands, or buts.
As the backlash grows, one thing’s clear: Germany’s immigration policy is on a collision course with a much tougher political climate.
