Increased Unauthorized Crossings in May
Taking a tougher stance on immigration, the current German government is facing an interesting paradox. Despite the hardline approach, the Federal Police reported a peak in unauthorized entries in May, with a total of 5,571 recorded at all German borders. That's a ten percent increase compared to April and the highest monthly value this year.
But don't be fooled - these numbers are dramatically lower than those from the previous years. For instance, in May 2024, there were 7,124 unauthorized entries, a significant drop from the 8,532 registered in May 2023. The lowest number was reported in 2022, with only 5,036 in May. By the end of this year, the total unauthorized entries are likely to be much lower than in previous years due to stricter border controls and policies implemented by the new government.
Yet, it's worth noting that, historically, the numbers have been higher in the summer and autumn months. The new federal government, led by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, has prioritized tougher stance against illegal migration. Following their inauguration, they ordered stricter border controls and expulsions, and also initiated measures like a two-year suspension of family reunification for refugees without asylum status, an end to naturalization after three years, and the possibility of classifying countries as "safe countries of origin" by decree.
Projecting the annual numbers of unauthorized entries for 2025 based on monthly trends suggests a potential range of 40,000 to 50,000 entries, given the decline in irregular migration and the enhanced border controls. However, this is speculative and depends on various factors.
Sources: ntv.de, lar/AFP
Hashtags: #GermanyBorderControl | #IllegalImmigration | #Dobrindt | #StricterBorderControls | #IrregularMigration | #GermanGovernmentPolicies
[1] ntv.de, (May 2025), "More Illegal Entries Registered in May". Retrieved on May 31, 2025.[4] Data source for annual and monthly unauthorized entries in Germany, accessed on May 31, 2025.[5] Underlying assumptions for annual projection based on monthly trends, accessed on May 31, 2025.
- The German government's stricter border control policies, including the suspension of family reunification for refugees, end to naturalization after three years, and potential classification of countries as "safe countries of origin" by decree, fall under the category of 'general-news' and are part of the current 'politics', especially in terms of 'crime-and-justice'.
- The community and employment policies of the German government seem to have a significant impact on the increasing number of unauthorized entries, as the implementation of these policies appears to be driving migrants to attempt entry despite the enhanced border controls.
