Brief update on border control operations between the Netherlands and Germany: Over 1500 attempted illegal entries successfully thwarted
In response to migrant management and security concerns, both Germany and the Netherlands have maintained temporary internal border controls since mid-September 2024. These measures, initially planned for a limited period, have been extended well into late 2025 and beyond.
The Federal Police in Germany have been controlling cross-border traffic between Lower Saxony and the Netherlands since September 16, 2024. In this period, a total of 1,516 unauthorized entries have been recorded, with 212 people turned back at the border during the same timeframe. During this period, 14 individuals were arrested for smuggling, and 59 suspected smugglers were arrested.
In addition, officers have identified 29 individuals from left-wing, right-wing, or foreign extremist and Islamist backgrounds as suspects. Six people had a re-entry ban, and nine suspects from extremist scenes were identified. However, specific recent incident data regarding extremist activities at this border is not readily available in public sources.
The Dutch side, conducted by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, reinstated land border checks starting December 9, 2024, for travelers from neighboring countries, including Germany. These controls are still in effect as of August 2025, initially planned for six months but can be extended.
Germany has also extended border checks at its internal Schengen borders until at least March 2026, including its border with the Netherlands. These checks include asylum seeker pushbacks and increased deportations, particularly targeting rejected asylum seekers with criminal records from countries such as Afghanistan and Syria.
Relatedly, the EU is rolling out digital border management systems (Entry/Exit System, EES) to better track short-stay non-EU nationals and reduce illegal overstays and identity fraud, which may enhance enforcement at these borders over time.
As of August 2025, the purpose of these controls remains migration control, security, asylum pushbacks, and deportations. The measures aim to prevent both illegal migration and cross-border crime. The Federal Police will continue investigations and controls with full force. It is worth noting that 399 individuals were wanted on arrest warrants.
For more detailed information on specific arrests or extremist incidents at this border, further targeted investigations with official law enforcement or government reports would be necessary. The public sources currently emphasize policy changes rather than operational incident data.
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