Twenty-eight Afghan nationals landed in Hanover, Germany, on Wednesday after a lengthy legal and bureaucratic battle, becoming only the second group to be admitted under Berlin’s resettlement scheme since Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right government froze the program earlier this year.
The arrivals included five Afghans deemed particularly at risk of persecution under Taliban rule. They had spent months in Pakistan awaiting visas before filing a complaint with a German administrative court, which ultimately forced authorities to honor their eligibility. They were accompanied by relatives, among them 16 minors, according to the German Interior Ministry.
The group traveled via a commercial flight with a stopover in Istanbul before arriving in northern Germany, greeted by humanitarian workers and immigration officials.
A Program on Hold
Germany’s admissions program was originally designed after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 to resettle former employees of German institutions, as well as Afghan lawyers, journalists, and human rights defenders seen as vulnerable to reprisals.
But since taking office in May, the Merz administration has put the scheme on hold as part of broader efforts to reduce migration levels. This has left thousands of Afghans—already approved for resettlement—stranded in Pakistan.
The halt has become increasingly controversial as Pakistani authorities step up deportations of Afghans back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. According to rights groups, those sent back face heightened risks of imprisonment, torture, or even death.
Courts Force Action
This month’s admission marks the second time Afghan nationals have entered Germany under the current government, both following successful legal appeals. Earlier in September, 47 Afghans won court cases granting them the right to travel to Germany despite the freeze.
Human rights lawyers say the cases highlight the contradiction between Germany’s stated commitments to vulnerable Afghans and the current administration’s migration policies. “Without the courts, these families would still be in limbo,” one advocate noted.
Thousands Still Stranded
The German Foreign Office estimates that more than 2,000 Afghans remain in Pakistan awaiting resettlement, with at least 250 already deported back to Afghanistan despite having been approved under the German scheme. Officials say efforts are underway to bring those deported back to Pakistan so that visa proceedings can continue, but little clarity has been provided on timelines.
Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations are urging Berlin to lift its pause and process pending applications quickly. Critics argue that delaying or denying entry not only abandons Germany’s Afghan partners but also undermines its international credibility.
Political Stakes
The resettlement issue has become a flashpoint in Germany’s broader debate on migration. Chancellor Merz’s government has prioritized curbing inflows, arguing that Europe cannot sustain large-scale admissions amid broader migration pressures.
For the Afghan families now beginning a new life in Germany, however, Wednesday’s flight represents both relief and lingering uncertainty. While they have reached safety, thousands of others remain trapped between stalled German policy and Pakistan’s hardening stance, their futures still undecided.
