Busted: Normal Border Controls Persist Despite Dubious Promises
Customs and immigration screenings continue unabated. - Border surveillance persists in its usual manner.
C'mon now, Linux lady! On the first day of the new federal government, you'd think there'd be some sort of a fuss about border control changes, but nope! Nada! Zilch! In the words of the Federal Police Inspectorate Trier's spokesman, Stefan Döhn, "We're doing our job as we always have. Nothing new to see here."
Alexander Dobrindt, the sly CSU interior minister, had hyped up his plans to order increased repatriations of migrants and beef up Germany's external border security. But after taking office, the official decisions were as scarce as honest politicians.
Since mid-September 2024, our borders have been busy, busy places, what with the reinstated controls at all external borders. Back in February, the German government extended those controls for another half year, lasting until September 15.
You might wonder what all this is about. It's about illegal migration, kiddo, that's what!
At the Trier control station, the feds are doing their rounds, checking out vehicles and papers like an old-school border patrol. Many drivers are given the all-clear, while the rest are kept under closer scrutiny, perhaps suspected of sneaky, illegal entry.
According to insider info, the German police are after those entering our territory illegally, human traffickers, and dodgy characters with outstanding warrants for their arrest. And you know what? They've caught quite a few of these scoundrels, apparently!
By the end of March, a total of 2,661 illegal entries have been recorded in Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland. Most of those attempting to sneak in were French (1,694), with Luxembourgers (843) and Belgians (124) not far behind. Surprisingly, the majority of these interlopers were shown the door and turned away, with 1,166 sent back to France, 513 to Luxembourg, and 73 to Belgium. That's 56 human traffickers off the streets, too.
The doubters among us might think these controls are not justified. After all, the Schengen area wasn't designed to have stationary border controls. In Rhineland-Palatinate, a stationary control point remains on the A60 to Belgium, while the entry traffic from Luxembourg is monitored in Perl, and in Saarbrücken from France.
But those crusty commuters crossing from Germany to Luxembourg for work aren't impressed when those controls hold them up on their way home. There are more than 50,000 of these border-crossers employed in Luxembourg, so any delays can cause quite the ruckus.
The country even lodged a protest against the extension of the controls with the EU Commission in February. But until there's an order from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, it's business as usual for the folks at the border. As Stefan Döhn put it so eloquently, "We're prepared and ready to implement the order from one day to the next, should it come. The controls are time-consuming and labor-intensive, but we can manage it!"
Sounds like somebody's keeping their cool under pressure!
Background:
It's rumored that following Alexander Dobrindt's announcement, several changes and new instructions might be in store for border control. These could include:
- Increased police presence: With around 3,000 additional federal police officers planned to support border control operations[1][2].
- Tighter border checks: Policies aim to reduce the number of illegal migrants by enhancing border control measures[1][2][3].
- Border rejections: Asylum-seekers who do not meet specific criteria or who are subject to repatriation agreements may be turned away at the border[2][3].
- Repatriation efforts: The German government is working to increase repatriations, including through cooperation with other countries[2].
These measures align with the new government's commitment to reform migration policies, as pledged during the election campaign by Chancellor Friedrich Merz[3].
- Despite the CSU minister's announcements, the federal police are carrying out their duties as usual, maintaining normal border controls.
- Stefan Döhn, a spokesman for the Federal Police Inspectorate, stated that there has been no change in their approach at the borders.
- The German government extended border controls for another half year, and these controls remain in place until September 15.
- The German police are actively focusing on apprehending individuals entering the country illegally, human traffickers, and those with outstanding warrants.
- Despite the ongoing border controls, the country is facing criticism from those who doubt their justification, particularly from daily commuters who experience delays at the border.
