German Government Faces Pressure to Allow Immediate Entry of 2,400 Afghan Refugees with Pre-Approved Visas
The German Bundestag’s Social Democratic Party faction is urging the government to allow the immediate entry of 2,400 Afghans who have received pre-approved visas from Germany. The party’s spokesperson, Hakan Demir, a member of the Bundestag, told the Stern magazine, “Germany’s word is its bond. These people must be allowed to come in. Immediately. Not after they have filed a lawsuit to claim their right.”
The issue has been sparked by a wave of lawsuits against the German federal government. According to the Stern, 25 lawsuits will be filed at the Berlin Administrative Court on Friday, seeking the issuance of visas for the 2,400 Afghans who are currently in a Pakistani refugee processing program and have already received pre-approved visas.
The new German government had halted the entry of these individuals in May, ending the programs and stopping the entry of those waiting in Pakistan. However, the pre-approved visas remain binding and the Federal Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs are currently exploring ways to address the situation. Until the conclusion of this review, the entry of these individuals remains suspended.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs are now seeking emergency visas in expedited proceedings, citing the imminent threat of deportation by Pakistani authorities as a matter of urgency. In a court filing, the lawyer of one of the plaintiffs stated, “This individual, recognized by the defendant as particularly endangered in Afghanistan, would face an unbearable and almost irreversible situation in the event of a threatened deportation to Afghanistan.