Germany saw more voluntary departures than deportations in the first half of the year, with a single charter flight to Pakistan costing over half a million euros.

In the first six months of the year, Germany recorded 17,892 voluntary departures of individuals required to leave the country, significantly outpacing the 9,663 deportations carried out during the same period. Government data revealed that nearly half of those who left voluntarily received federal financial assistance to support their departure.

Despite the higher number of voluntary exits, deportation efforts remain costly and complex. A charter flight to Pakistan, which cost approximately €518,000, was the most expensive deportation operation during this period. Additionally, nearly 9,000 deportation attempts failed due to various reasons, including resistance from individuals, legal obstacles, and health concerns. Pilots refusing to transport deportees on commercial flights also posed a significant challenge, with 280 such refusals reported in the first half of the year.

As of mid-year, Germany had approximately 259,000 individuals obligated to leave the country, with 77% holding temporary toleration status due to barriers such as missing travel documents or medical issues. Over 60% of these individuals were rejected asylum seekers, while others included tourists with expired visas, former students without valid residency permits, and unemployed migrant workers. Authorities continue to face logistical and ethical hurdles in enforcing deportations, with some cases requiring physical restraints or other measures during removal operations.