Hannah Neumann, member of the European Parliament, warned that deporting Afghan migrants back to Afghanistan would be both a humanitarian and strategic mistake, arguing that such policies could ultimately strengthen the Taliban.
In a statement posted on X, Neumann said returning young Afghan men to conditions of poverty and hopelessness risked pushing them toward Taliban-linked networks and religious schools that continue to provide shelter, food and social support.
“This is how authoritarian systems hold power,” she wrote. “Not only through violence, but through dependency, social control and enforced loyalty.”
She argued that deportations would not weaken the Taliban but instead reinforce the structures sustaining their rule inside Afghanistan.
“Every single coordinated return gives the Taliban more power instead of weakening them,” she wrote, addressing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz directly in the post.
Her remarks come as debate intensifies across parts of Europe over the deportation of Afghan migrants, particularly those convicted of crimes.
On Tuesday, Germany’s interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, said Berlin intended to continue deporting Afghan nationals convicted of criminal offenses to Afghanistan on a sustained basis, despite political and diplomatic challenges.
In an interview with German public television, Dobrindt said the deportations could take place weekly and would continue even if communication with Taliban representatives proved necessary.
“We will continue on this path in a sustainable manner,” he said.
The debate over deportations has intensified as several European governments face growing domestic pressure to curb irregular migration and tighten asylum policies.
Earlier this year, the Daily Mail reported that European Union officials were exploring possible mechanisms for returning Afghan migrants who had been denied residency rights in Europe to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
According to the report, some European governments had urged Brussels to open channels of communication with Taliban in Kabul to assess the feasibility of deportations.
The prospect of returns has drawn criticism from rights groups and migration advocates, who argue that Afghanistan remains unsafe because of economic collapse, human rights concerns and Taliban restrictions, particularly on women and political dissent.
Most European countries suspended deportations to Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, though some governments have recently signaled interest in resuming limited removals involving convicted criminals or rejected asylum seekers.
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