Brandenburg's Border Crisis: Refugee Council Slams Government over Asylum Seeker Rejections
Government's Actions Decried as Shameful by Refugee Council Resolution - Government's Actions Denounced as "Shameful" by Refugee Council Following Decision
The Refugee Council of Brandenburg has taken a swing at the federal government's border policies, labeling them as a "disgraceful" violation of law. In response to a recent court decision, the council piled on the pressure on Brandenburg's interior minister, René Wilke, to intervene.
The council has slammed the federal government for blatantly disregarding court rulings and EU regulations. They declared that such actions not only inflict severe suffering upon innocent asylum seekers, but also undermine the rule of law. Wilke is urged to take action to end this practice and uphold the law.
A landmark court decision determined that rejecting asylum seekers at border controls on German soil is illegal. The ruling was given in relation to three Somali individuals who were sent back from Frankfurt (Oder) to Poland. The Berlin Administrative Court stated that asylum seekers cannot be rejected without first deciding which EU country is responsible for processing their claims.
Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has disregarded the court ruling and vowed not to alter the border practice. Instead, he aims to take the issue to a main proceeding. Dobrindt implemented tougher border controls on May 7 and ordered that asylum seekers be sent back at the border, with exceptions for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and children.
- Refugee Council of Brandenburg
- Wilke
- Court Decision
- Asylum Seekers
- Brandenburg
- Alexander Dobrindt
- Potsdam
- Border Control
Insights
Following the ruling by the Berlin Administrative Court on June 3, 2025, asylum seeker rejections at border controls, including those in Brandenburg, became illegal unless carried out under the EU's Dublin procedure. This decision came after three Somali nationals were turned back to Poland on May 9, 2025, despite their intentions to apply for asylum in Germany.
The Dublin Procedure Requirement
Asylum seekers cannot be rejected without determining which EU country is responsible for processing their claim under the Dublin procedure.
Border Policy
Under Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, the federal government has enacted a more stringent border policy, allowing for the return of asylum seekers to safe third countries without asylum examinations, save for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and children.
- The Refugee Council of Brandenburg has called on the federal government, including Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, to adhere to the Dublin Procedure requirement, as the court ruling stated that asylum seekers cannot be rejected without determining the EU country responsible for processing their claims.
- The issue of asylum seeker rejections at border controls, including Brandenburg, has become a matter of policy and legislation, politics, and general news due to the recent court decision and the government's response, with the Refugee Council of Brandenburg urging Wilke to take action to uphold the law and put an end to this practice.
