Border Inspections Commence Between Poland and Germany - Germany-Poland Border Inspections Initiated
In response to increased concerns over illegal migration and unauthorized cross-border movement, the center-left government in Warsaw initiated temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, 2025. The measures, which will remain in place until August 5, aim to bolster national security and restrict the uncontrolled flow of migrants across borders.
The decision to implement these controls was influenced by ongoing issues between Poland and Germany regarding the return of migrants. Polish authorities expressed frustration over Germany’s handling of migrants crossing the border, especially claims that people were being returned to Poland after being accepted in Germany.
The focus of the Polish border guards is on minibuses, cars with many occupants, and vehicles with tinted windows. These vehicle types are commonly used by smugglers to move multiple people at once across borders, and tinted windows can help conceal the presence of people inside vehicles, making it harder for border guards to conduct effective checks. By increasing scrutiny on these vehicle types, Polish authorities aim to disrupt smuggling networks and reduce the number of illegal entries.
Asylum seekers can now be rejected at the border in Germany, according to German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who ordered more intensive border controls shortly after the new federal government took office in May. The German border controls, which have been in place since October 2023, are also aimed at stopping irregular migration.
The Polish Ministry of the Interior, Tomasz Siemoniak, has stated that normal travelers have nothing to worry about. Travelers are being checked at these border crossings, but the intent of these controls is to make it more difficult for migrant smugglers and unauthorized travelers to move across the border undetected.
In addition to the 52 border crossings with Germany, controls are also in place at 13 border crossings to Lithuania. Notably, a recent incident involved the arrest of an Estonian citizen at one of the Lithuanian border crossings, where he had four people on board his car who were attempting to enter Poland irregularly.
The border controls are a "last resort" measure in line with Schengen rules, which allow for temporary controls in emergency security situations. The reinstatement of border controls is a sensitive issue in Poland, as the country seeks to maintain the open borders that have been a hallmark of the Schengen Agreement while addressing the challenges posed by illegal migration.
- The community policy of Poland, centered on securing national borders, has been substantially influenced by the politics of immigration and crime-and-justice, as evident in the implementation of temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania.
- The ongoing general-news topic of Poland's border security, particularly the contention over migrant return policies with Germany, has led to intensified employment policies at both Poland and Germany's border crossings, aimed at curbing illegal migration and smuggling networks.
