Payam Javan: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged to reform deportation laws to enable the expulsion of immigrants convicted of serious crimes. This decision comes in the wake of a tragic knife attack by an Afghan asylum-seeker that resulted in the death of a police officer and severe injuries to six others in Mannheim.

Addressing the Bundestag, Scholz expressed the nation’s grief and outrage over the incident, emphasizing that such criminals, regardless of their country of origin, should be deported.

The proposed changes will prioritize Germany’s security interests over the protective interests of offenders, including the deportation of those linked to terrorism. Scholz assured that the Federal Ministry of the Interior is working on mechanisms to deport terrorists to the Middle East, as part of a broader strategy to combat radical Islamism.

With European elections approaching and immigration a top concern among voters, Scholz’s announcement reflects growing public demand for tougher immigration policies. However, questions remain about the feasibility of such deportations, particularly given Germany’s lack of diplomatic relations with the Taliban and the fragile security situation in Syria.