Overview

• Alexander Dobrindt said technical talks in Kabul were far advanced and announced plans for regular removals of convicted offenders to Afghanistan on commercial flights.
• The Bundestag opened its first debate on Germany’s implementation of the EU asylum reform, with Dobrindt seeking to bring parts of the package into force before the mid‑2026 EU deadline.
• The draft envisions ‘secondary‑migration centers’ for people whose cases fall to other EU states, introducing residence obligations and tighter movement rules; only Hamburg and Brandenburg operate comparable facilities today.
• Coalition figures from the SPD signaled reservations and the bill now says federal states may create such centers rather than must, reflecting resistance at state level.
• Rights groups and opposition parties warn of de facto detention and possible holding of minors, while legal experts flag significant constitutional and EU‑law risks; Dobrindt is also coordinating tougher return measures with selected EU counterparts.