Here's the Scoop
Enhanced Border Surveillance by Federal Police in Lower Saxony - Border checks intensified by national law enforcement in Lower Saxony region
Following a government edict, the Federal Police in Lower Saxony has tightened its grip on the border with the Netherlands. A spokesperson recently confirmed this move to the German Press Agency. "We've upped the ante with our Federal Police controls at the German-Dutch border," the spokesperson stated, citing orders from the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Similar measures have been taken across regions like North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria.
So, what's the deal? Federal Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), recently announced tighter border controls. This includes the option of blocking asylum seekers at the border if they have already submitted applications in other EU countries. However, there's an exception to this rule — pregnant women, children, and vulnerable groups are exempt.
Stretching roughly 180 kilometers within Lower Saxony, the border with the Netherlands is now under more scrutiny, with controls intensified at major motorways and federal roads, along with smaller crossings since September 16, 2024. As the Federal Police spokesperson put it, "We may not be the hub for refugee routes, but we deal with folks that have been registered and are back for round two." The number of detected individuals has increased since the heightened controls came into effect — "We turned on the lights, and that's when we saw the action." Federal Reserve Police are lending a hand for the time being, but the exact number of deployed Federal Police forces isn't specified.
When required, the Federal Police in Lower Saxony, Hamburg, and Bremen utilizes a mobile control and surveillance unit for such tasks. Can't say fairer than that, huh?
The Lowdown
Germany's Federal Police in Lower Saxony are strengthening border controls with the Netherlands, primarily to adhere to the new immigration policy under Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt. His announcement, made on May 7, 2025, saw a shift in strategy that renounces the 2015 directive, which previously barred the direct rejection of asylum seekers at the borders. The primary goal is to combat illegal migration effectively, prompting clarity, consistency, and control at the borders. This move comes in response to concerns over surging asylum applications in Germany, with over 36,000 first-time applications registered in the first quarter of 2025[1].
Interestingly, the Netherlands is stepping up its internal land border controls with neighboring countries, including Germany, as part of broader efforts to manage regional migration pressures. This regional context likely played a role in the intensified border control initiatives taken by German authorities in Lower Saxony[2].
To put it another way, the Federal Police in Lower Saxony have chosen to beef up border controls with the Netherlands, focusing on infringement on the Federal Government's new immigration regulations sought to minimize illegal migration, reduce asylum applications, and manage migration streams in sync with Germany's stricter stance on immigration throughout 2025[1][2].
- The Federal Police in regions like Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Bavaria have strengthened their border controls, adhering to the new immigration policy led by Federal Minister Alexander Dobrindt, following an announcement made on May 7, 2025.
- In response to the updated immigration policy, the Federal Police in Lower Saxony, Hamburg, and Bremen have deployed a mobile control and surveillance unit to combat illegal migration and manage migration more effectively.
- The border between Lower Saxony and the Netherlands, which stretches approximately 180 kilometers, has seen intensified controls at major motorways, federal roads, and even smaller crossings since September 16, 2024.
- The said measures are aimed at aligning with the new policy, which renounces the 2015 directive and permits the blocking of asylum seekers at the border if they have already submitted applications in other European Union (EC) countries, with exceptions for pregnant women, children, and vulnerable groups.
