A slight majority of Afghan nationals on Germany's deportation lists have no criminal record, InfoMigrants reports, a figure that draws attention to who exactly the German authorities plan to remove as deportation flights to Afghanistan resume.

The finding matters because German officials have repeatedly framed ongoing deportation policy toward Afghan nationals around public safety arguments. The new figures show, however, that criminal convictions do not account for most of the individuals on the current deportation lists.

According to the report, more than half of the Afghans listed for deportation by the German authorities have no criminal record at all. That means a minority of those facing removal have been convicted of a crime, while the majority face deportation on other grounds — most notably the rejection of their asylum claims.

The numbers arrive amid renewed debate in Germany over deportation policy toward Afghanistan. The German government suspended deportations to Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021. deportations resumed in August 2024, when Germany carried out its first removal flight to Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, returning a group of convicted offenders.

German officials have justified the resumption of flights largely on the basis of removing convicted criminals. Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government, which took office in May 2025, has pledged a tougher course on irregular migration and faster deportations. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has pushed for expanded removal powers and higher deportation numbers.

The newly reported figures complicate that framing. If a slight majority of Afghans on the deportation lists have no criminal record, then most of the people Germany intends to remove are failed asylum seekers rather than convicted criminals. For Afghan nationals whose protection claims were rejected, the practical consequence is clear: a rejected asylum claim alone can place a person on a deportation list, regardless of any criminal history.

Germany maintains deportation lists that record which rejected asylum seekers and other foreigners subject to removal are due to be deported. Inclusion on such a list follows a legally binding removal order, typically after an asylum application has been rejected or protection status has been withdrawn.

For affected Afghan nationals, the figures underscore that deportation risk does not depend on criminal conduct. Rejected asylum seekers without any conviction make up the larger share of those slated for removal.

The German authorities have not indicated that the composition of the deportation lists will change as a result of the reporting. Deportation policy remains anchored in the decisions of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) on asylum claims and in the enforcement practice of the federal states, which carry out removals.

Afghan nationals in Germany whose asylum claims are pending or rejected can consult the official BAMF channels and qualified legal representatives for information on their individual status. InfoMigrants published the underlying report on the composition of the deportation lists.