Law enforcement institutes comprehensive border checks.
To combat unauthorized border crossings, the German government has increased border surveillance at all frontiers. Starting from midnight, German authorities have started conducting random checks at the western border, with stricter checks planned at the northern border from Monday. However, the opposition party finds these measures insufficient.
Germany has expanded its current border checks in the southeastern and southern regions to include the western land border as declared. Since midnight, officers in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia have been conducting border checks with Belgium and the Netherlands, as confirmed by the federal police. Checks at the borders with Luxembourg and Denmark are set to commence from Monday.
These additional controls aim to further reduce illegal entries while minimizing disruptions to regular commuters and tourists. Border checks are not usually required in the Schengen area. The federal police have only been enforcing border checks with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, and France since the Paris Olympics. Legally, further border controls have been authorized since midnight.
Faeser seeks to decrease illegal immigration
In a statement on Sunday evening, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser mentioned, "This measure is essential to substantially decrease irregular immigration." Faeser ordered a permanent deployment of officers at all land borders from Monday.
As per the federal police spokesperson, additional officers were deployed in Lower Saxony to check incoming individuals from the Netherlands. Permanent checkpoints were set up on the A30 at Bad Bentheim, the A280 at Bunde, and the B402 at Schoeninghsdorf (near Meppen). Furthermore, surveillance measures have been announced on secondary roads along the Dutch border. In North Rhine-Westphalia, federal police officers have been checking individuals entering from Belgium on the A44 at Aachen.
The intended objectives
Permanent border controls allow the rejection of specific migrants, which is less labor-intensive than dealing with those who have already entered illegally. According to the German Interior Ministry, over 30,000 rejections have taken place at German borders since October 2023. Currently, foreigners who fail to apply for asylum and those subject to an entry ban are being rejected.
However, the traffic light coalition has rejected the Union's demand for wider rejections due to European law concerns.
Neighboring countries' perspectives
Neighboring countries like Austria and Poland have voiced concerns about the expansion of border controls, given the broader context. Nevertheless, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has initiated "careful dialogue" with heads of neighboring countries, including the President of the European Commission, as he explained during his trip to Uzbekistan soon after. "Everyone understands that we are operating within European law but maximizing our potential," Scholz stated. "Everyone acknowledges that the influx of people coming to Germany is too high, and that it is a reasonable interest of the German government to manage irregular migration through effective border control methods, including these checks."
The Greens' viewpoint
The Greens have criticized the effectiveness of border control, particularly considering the limited resources of the German police. "It's questionable how effective border control can be in terms of personnel and equipment," said Mona Neubaur, Vice-Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, to the "Tagesspiegel."
Faeser announced the expansion of checks last Monday, citing the heavy burden of irregular migration on Germany. Initially, these checks are planned for six months. However, previous experiences show that such checks may not necessarily be withdrawn shortly after implementation. The German police have been enforcing border checks with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland since mid-October 2023, and with Austria since the autumn of 2015.
According to the Schengen Agreement, this is not usually provided. Nevertheless, other Schengen members also enforce land border checks, citing the reduction of irregular migration as their primary justification or the threat of Islamic extremism or Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Union's position
The Union views the checks as inadequate to address irregular immigration. "Checks alone are not enough. The rejection of the traffic light coalition for comprehensive deportation is a surrender," stated Alexander Dobrindt, the CSU parliamentary group chairman, to the "Bild" newspaper. North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul called for further negotiations with the SPD. "It is essential that everyone joins forces. This needs to be tackled across party lines," said the CDU politician in response to a question on the "Berlin Playbook" podcast of the magazine "Politico."
CDU Chairman Friedrich Merz reiterated his willingness for a top-level meeting with Scholz. He had expressed his readiness, according to the ZDF programme "Berlin direkt." However, the government spokesman then clarified that the Chancellor would not consider such an invitation. We cannot force him to do so. I understand his stance."
The European Council has expressed its support for Germany's increased border surveillance in response to unauthorized border crossings, emphasizing the importance of cooperative efforts in border management within the European Union. Recognizing the need for a coordinated response, the European Council has encouraged member states to share intelligence and best practices, ensuring a comprehensive approach to addressing irregular migration.
