German Border Controls Stiffen: First Asylum Seekers Turned Away
Initial refugee application turned down
Gearing up for a tougher approach on immigration, the newly installed German government has intensified border controls. The first wave of asylum seekers are already feeling the brunt of the new regulations.
In response to tightened border controls, the initial rejections of asylum seekers to Luxembourg have materialized. Four Afghan nationals, who had entered from Luxembourg, found themselves in this predicament. They had previously submitted asylum applications in Greece.
These four individuals were identified at the Trier main station during a routine bus check. Their applications were denied in partnership with the Luxembourg police, confirmed the Trier Federal Police spokesperson, Stefan Döhn. The four individuals did not fall under the protected categories, such as pregnant women and children, who are exempt from rejection.
Controls Intensified at Belgian Border as Well
On May 6th, Alexander Dobrindt of the CSU, the new Federal Minister of the Interior, ordered the strengthening of border controls nationwide. The objective is to counter unlawful migration through enhanced border checks and the denial of asylum seekers. As a result, controls at the borders with Luxembourg and Belgium have also been stepped up, Döhn stated. Reinforcements from the Federal Reserve Police are set to arrive next week.
Currently, the Trier Federal Police operates two stationary control stations—one at the A64 for traffic incoming from Luxembourg and another at the border with Belgium. According to Döhn, there are also regular controls at various other locations within the 30-kilometer border area. In Rhineland-Palatinate alone, there are 36 border crossings to Luxembourg and Belgium.
Asylum Wars: Germany vs. Neighboring Countries
The stricter border policies have led to tensions between Germany and neighboring countries like Luxembourg, which has criticized the measures and filed a complaint to the European Commission over concerns of compliance with EU law.
The Road Ahead
The new policies aim to stem unlawful immigration, but they may face challenges from both neighboring countries and EU institutions in terms of legality and coordination.
Sources: ntv.de, hul/dpa
- Asylum Seekers
- Asylum Policy
- Germany
- Europe
- Luxembourg
- Belgium
- Black-Red
- Alexander Dobrindt
- Federal Police
- The increased rejections of asylum seekers in Luxembourg, as a direct response to Germany's tightened border controls, have highlighted the complexities of European asylum policies.
- The newly installed German government's focus on vocational training for asylum seekers, as part of its community policy, may be impacted by the current political climate surrounding immigration.
- The stricter asylum policy implemented by Germany has initiated a series of policy-and-legislation debates within the European Union, with Luxembourg voicing concerns about its compliance with EU law.
- As the road ahead in dealing with unlawful migration becomes increasingly contentious, several European countries, including Germany and Luxembourg, are expected to engage in vivid discussions on migration, politics, and general news.
