Authorities at border checkpoints deny entry to 640 individuals.
As of recent developments, authorities are vigilantly surveilling all borders shared with Germany's adjacent nations. Over the past week, they've detected and rejected numerous unlawful entries, leading to the rejection of 640 individuals. Smugglers have been apprehended and warrants have been served. Regrettably, the number of asylum requests hasn't shown a downturn; instead, it's shown a rise.
As per media reports, 898 unauthorized entries have been identified at these borders over the last five days. Out of this number, 640 individuals were immediately denied entry by the Federal Police at the borders. Remarkably, 23 of these individuals had previously been expelled from Germany.
During these five days, 10 smugglers were captured, and 114 active arrest warrants were executed. Moreover, 17 individuals linked to extremist groups, such as Islamist, left-wing, and right-wing factions, were apprehended.
At the western borders – sharing boundaries with the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Denmark – 182 unauthorized entry attempts have been identified so far. Internal statistics from the Federal Police Directorates, as reported by "World on Sunday," indicate that 100 of these attempts were thwarted, with the individuals being sent back immediately.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior declined to comment on these statistics. However, "Bild" reported that the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees received 3626 asylum applications at the western borders since Monday. The week before saw 3581 applications, while the week prior saw 3063. Asylum applications are often submitted upon entry or immediately afterwards.
Since this past Monday, border checks have been implemented at all German land borders. This expansion impacts France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark. Initially planned for a half-year period until mid-March, these stationary and mobile controls can be extended. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser ordered the expansion of controls in an effort to curb irregular migration.
Additionally, stationary border controls have been carried out at the borders with Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland. Since the expansion of these controls in mid-October 2023, approximately 52,000 unauthorized entries have been identified, and around 30,000 individuals have been refused entry – for example, when the correct or valid travel documents were not presented.
The European Council has expressed concern over the ongoing migration issues at German borders, as the number of asylum requests continues to rise despite increased border surveillance and rejections. Authorities from the European Council are scheduled to meet next week to discuss potential solutions and collaborative strategies.
