A leading figure from the Left party, Clara Bünger, has voiced strong criticism of recent announcements from Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt regarding continued border controls and planned deportations to Afghanistan and Syria. Bünger stated that Dobrindt is presenting himself as a hardliner, but that his policies amount to symbolic gestures at the expense of vulnerable groups. She alleges that individuals are being taken from psychiatric facilities for deportation and that organizing flights to conflict zones is a costly exercise that does not enhance security.
The jurist argues that the narrative linking deportations to improvements in the lives of people in Germany is demonstrably false, asserting that such policies do not address economic concerns or public safety. Instead, she contends, they exacerbate racial tensions and divide society.
Bünger specifically criticizes the extension of border controls, claiming that people seeking refuge are being turned away without proper assessment, despite court rulings to the contrary. She accuses Dobrindt of violating fundamental rights and pushing political standards further to the right, a practice she deems irresponsible governance.
Marcel Emmerich, the Green party’s interior policy spokesperson, echoed this criticism, labeling Dobrindt’s border policies as unlawful and unjustified. He argues that the minister is disregarding court decisions, legal principles and concerns raised by federal police, business associations, NGOs and border commuters. Emmerich also points out that, given low migration numbers and the increasing costs associated with justifying heightened security measures, the government’s claims of a significant threat to public order or internal security are unsupported.
Furthermore, Emmerich suggests that the Interior Ministry is compromising domestic security by deploying federal police resources to border controls instead of addressing security gaps within Germany.