Tougher Border Controls, Tougher Migration Policies Set In
Customs and immigration screenings remain uninterrupted - Customs and immigration checks persist in their usual manner.
It's a new dawn for the federal government, and there's no escaping the rougher border controls. "We're just doin' our thang like always," said Stefan Döhn, a spokesperson for the Federal Police Inspectorate Trier, at a border control station on the A64 motorway from Luxembourg. "Ain't received no new orders yet. Business as usual."
Alexander Dobrindt, fresh off his appointment as Federal Interior Minister, promised a crackdown on migrants and tightened border checks. The big announcement was set for this Wednesday. But so far, it's all systems go.
Since mid-September 2024, border controls have been reinstated at all of Germany's external borders. The federal government even extended these controls by half a year, keeping them in place until September 15, 2025.
Illegal migration is the main focus
At the Trier control station, federal police are stopping vehicles left and right. In a massive steel tent at the control point, they're scrutinizing paperwork. Most drivers can continue on their merry way, but hundreds meet their match every day.
The federal police are after individuals entering the country illegally, human traffickers, and anyone with outstanding warrants. Döhn dropped some numbers, boasting that they've hit their marks in all these areas.
More than 2,600 illegal entries thwarted
So far, border controls have resulted in the recording of 2,661 illegal entries across Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland by the end of March. 1,694 came from France, 843 from Luxembourg, and 124 from Belgium, according to the Federal Police. 1,166 were turned back to France, 513 to Luxembourg, and 73 to Belgium. A total of 56 human traffickers have been caught in the act. The figures, however, are still preliminary and may change slightly later. Doähn declared the controls a success.
What's up next?
It's just a matter of time before the Ministry of the Interior drops the hammer. "Then we'll see where we'll be headin' next." There's no word on personnel changes or additional mandates yet. But according to Doehn, they're ready to adapt and can rock an order from one day to the next.
The checks are “real time- and manpower heavy,” said Doehn, but with support from other units and inspections, they've got this under control.
Luxembourg isn't happy
Stationary border controls aren't typically part of the game in the European Schengen area. There's still a stationary control point to Belgium on the A60 in Rhineland-Palatinate, while entry traffic from Luxembourg is checked at Perl in Saarland, and from France it's in Saarbrücken.
The local populace isn't too keen on the checks, especially commuters who travel from Germany to Luxembourg for work. More than 50,000 German border crossers are employed in Luxembourg. The country lodged a complaint against the extension of the controls with the EU Commission in February.
- Border control
- Migration
- Luxembourg
- Federal government
- Trier
- Rhineland-Pfalz
- Saarland
- Federal Police
- France
- Belgium
- Vehicle
- Alexander Dobrindt
- CSU
- Migrants
- Focus
- Crackdown
- Border management
- Tougher policies
Enrichment Data:
- Alexander Dobrindt, the new Interior Minister, has issued a significant order for stricter border controls and the rejection of asylum applications at land borders in May 2025, marking a shift in Germany's immigration policy under Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new government[5][1][2].
- Dobrindt revoked a 2015 instruction by Chancellor Angela Merkel, which allowed for more open border access, and is increasing police staffing at the borders to enforce stricter controls[5].
- The order explicitly makes exceptions for vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, and other identified vulnerable individuals[5][1].
- This policy pivot towards more restrictive border management fulfills a key campaign promise made by Chancellor Merz[3][4][5].
- Alexander Dobrindt, as the newly appointed Federal Interior Minister, has announced a crackdown on migrants and tightened border checks, focusing on stricter border management.
- Stefan Doehn, a spokesperson for the Federal Police Inspectorate Trier, stated that border controls have been reinstated at all of Germany's external borders since mid-September 2024 and have been extended by half a year, keeping them in place until September 15, 2025.
- At the Trier control station, federal police are stopping vehicles and scrutinizing paperwork, thwarting more than 2,600 illegal entries across Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland by the end of March, according to the Federal Police.
- Luxembourg, a country with more than 50,000 German border crossers employed within its borders, lodged a complaint against the extension of the controls with the EU Commission in February.
- Alexander Dobrindt's order for stricter border controls and the rejection of asylum applications at land borders in May 2025 marks a shift in Germany's immigration policy under Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new government, fulfilling a key campaign promise made by Chancellor Merz.
