Tightened border restrictions' impacts revealed
In an unexpected move, Germany has decided to extend its enhanced border controls beyond the original September 15, 2025 deadline. This decision, made by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, is part of a tough crackdown on irregular immigration.
The extended border controls include the continuation of refusals of entry to many asylum seekers at the borders, a policy that has drawn criticism for potentially violating asylum laws. Germany is also intensifying efforts to deport rejected asylum seekers, especially those with criminal records, to countries such as Afghanistan and Syria despite concerns over these countries' security situations.
The German federal police are facing significant strain due to these tightened border measures. The Police Union has publicly warned about ongoing high strain on officers, exacerbated by border controls, staffing shortages, and rising crime. This strain reflects operational challenges in maintaining extensive border checks while dealing with limited resources.
The current situation has led to increased overtime demands and pressure on law enforcement capacity. By the end of June, the Federal Police had accumulated 2.9 million overtime hours, and the majority of these overtime hours have been pending for years. The Ministry of the Interior keeps the number of personnel at airports and train stations secret for "operational reasons". Around 4,000 personnel have been missing at the more than 5,700 train stations and stops for several years.
Politically, Dobrindt and regional officials defend these measures as necessary governance responses and political signals to address migration and security concerns. However, critics argue that they may undermine human rights and the European principle of open internal Schengen borders.
The policy is controversial both within Germany and across Europe, balancing security priorities against legal and human rights concerns. Notably, Poland has responded with its own border controls.
The most rejections occurred at the border with France (2038), followed by Poland (1816), Switzerland (1760), Austria (1623), Netherlands (706), Czech Republic (576), Luxembourg (208), Belgium (413), and Denmark (114). Between May 8 and July 31, a total of 9254 people were rejected at the borders, which is approximately 770 per week.
Dobrindt ordered these controls to continue indefinitely and called for a change in German migration policy in May. Especially with the upcoming football leagues, the support forces are urgently needed, according to the unionist. The number of personnel deployed daily at the borders has increased from around 11,000 to 14,000 with the start of enhanced controls.
Despite the challenges, the federal government has stressed that this measure is not intended to be permanent. According to the GdP, the staffing at airports and train stations is "almost identical" to last year, but support forces from the reserve police and mobile units are missing.
This extension of border controls has raised concerns about potential staffing gaps, as nearly a third of the entire Federal Police workforce is currently deployed at the borders. The unionist, Andreas Roßkopf, has forecasted staffing gaps due to the ongoing high strain on officers, border controls, staffing shortages, and rising crime. Critics had feared a lack of personnel at airports and train stations due to the summer travel wave.
In summary, Germany's decision to extend its border controls beyond September 2025, with continued rejections at borders, has caused significant operational strain on the German federal police. The policy is controversial both within Germany and across Europe, balancing security priorities against legal and human rights concerns.
- The extension of Germany's border controls, a part of its tough crackdown on irregular immigration, has provoked heated debates among policy makers, particularly in terms of employment policy, as the German federal police face significant strain due to these measures.
- The controversial policy, which includes refusals of entry to many asylum seekers and efforts to deport rejected asylum seekers with criminal records, has raised concerns about potential staffing gaps in the employment policy sector, as nearly a third of the entire Federal Police workforce is currently deployed at the borders.
